12/30/19 Report - Mystery Coin for ID. Mayan Ruins Explored. Trash to Treasure.

Written by the Treasureguide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Object On Right Found on Beach

Find and photo by Sharon

Sharon found the coin on the right in the photo above and is wondering if someone can identify it.  Looks like it might be an ancient Greek coin to me, but I haven't done any research.  A lot of these kinds of coins are used in modern jewelry - some being reproductions.  Let me know your thoughts on the identify of this coin.   All thoughts and opinions welcome.

Back of Same Coin Found by Sharon.

I suspect that with a little research someone will be able to come up with an exact identity for this find.

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DJ sent me the following link to a very interesting article by Zelia Nuttall published in the 1910 American Anthropologist about the archaeological exploration of the Mayan ruins found on the Isle of Sacrificios.  Good reading.

Here is the link.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/659954?seq=50&socuuid=3cb098d2-9e2f-482c-a6da-80ad83963c48&socplat=email#metadata_info_tab_contents

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Red Green Of the Red Green TV Show

Source: RedGreen.com

Red Green, the redneck comedian, philosopher and raconteur, always says,  "If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."   I can relate that to metal detecting.  If what you find isn't pretty, it still might come in handy.

I'm always happy to find something useful on a beach, and a surprising number of things are.  Wire can often be found, for example, and even though it isn't exactly what you are looking for, I've found that it almost always comes in handy.  I use my found wire for a lot of things, including hangers for outdoor Christmas decorations.

Old coconuts, as one of many possible examples, can be useful - even if the milk and meat is no good.  Here are some things I made out of old coconuts that I picked up at the beach.

Orchid Hanger Made Out of Found Coconut Shell and Wire.

To create an orchid hanger, all I had to did was cut the top off the shell, use a drill to cut a little design in the shell, then drill a couple holes near the top to attach a hanger made out of found wire.   Insert a little coconut shell fibre and an orchid, and that is all there is to it.

Here is one way to make a planter out of a found coconut shell.

Coconut Shell Planter.

Cut the top off.  Cut a smaller bit off the bottom, and use a section of the top for the stand.  Then just add soil and a plant.

I know those kinds of things aren't what you'd like to find, but there is a lot of treasure in the trash you see, and I like finding the value in things that aren't so pretty.  I'd rather convert junk than than waste my money buying stuff.  It's living green too.

A little creativity can turn your less handsome finds into something handy.

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Yesterday I posted a review of 2019, including the most read posts, which were mostly about the storms and finds of the year.   I gave links to the most popular posts so you can go back and check out the big topics and finds of the year.  You might want to take a look at the year in review if you have not already.

It looks like the Treasure Coast surf is now down around two or three feet and will remain low for several days.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/30/17 Report - Beach Conditions. Unexpected and Old Shipwreck Find As Told By One Blog Reader. Converting Junk Beach Finds.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Happy Halloween.

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I took a look at a few beaches yesterday.  Here are some photos.

John Brooks Beach Looking North Yesterday Just After Low Tide.

A lot of sand yesterday at John Brooks.  The beach had very little form and was fairy mushy.  A good bit of sand was moved around in recent days or weeks.  That is a lot of area to search.

John Brooks Beach Looking South Yesterday Just After Low Tide

The same thing to the south.

Surf  Breaking On Bar at Walton Rocks Yesterday Just After Low Tide

The surf was a little rougher than I expected.  It was really pounding the sand bar here.

For the next few days expect a one to two foot surf.

Frederick Douglas Beach A Little After Low Tide Yesterday

Frederick Douglas Beach had a little more form to it than John Brooks.  You can see a dip near the top of the photo.  Rocks and heavier things were washed up there.

There has been a dip around that area been and off for months now even though the sand has been moved a lot.

I don't know what the Vero/Sebastian beaches are like.  I suspect they are similar, but it is possible that a spot or two has opened up somewhere on the Treasure Coast.

There is a north wind and a north swell, but the surf is supposed to be only a foot or so today.  We haven't had too many north winds or swells for quite some time.   Too bad it comes with such a small surf and moderate tides.

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I receive a lot of email from guys that have done a lot.  Some have made important archaeological discoveries, made big finds and done a lot of treasure hunting and shipwreck salvage, but they are probably not the names that most people know.  They usually aren't the best self-promoters, but if you knew what they accomplished, you would be impressed.  They deserve a lot more credit than they get.  A few have written books, but they still aren't the big names that everybody knows.

Steve from Sebastian, who found the mystery coin that has the Cuban seal on it, has done a lot of treasure hunting and shipwreck salvage - much of it in the Great Lakes but also the Treasure Coast and other areas.  He has been at it for 40 years or so.  Here is one interesting experience he related to me.

... They have an expert at NGC that is a specialist on just foreign coins.  I had a cuff link in my effects when I visited with my wife.  The cuff link had a Roman image “coin like” object in it.  (The shipwreck it came from foundered in 1865.  The loss of President Lincoln was still fresh on everyone’s lips).  

He spotted this cuff link in my brief case as he introduced himself, and grabbed it and without a word, ran off to “the inner sanctum” (where -nobody- from the public goes) as I thrilled the president of NGC, with stories of the wreck, and five divers being lost over the years.  (Multiple salvage attempts) 1715 Fleet ???  (;

15 minutes went by before the foreign specialist returned.  He handed it to the president, and with an amazed smile like a young child declared...”the coin is real!”  A -200 BC- Roman Silver Denarius!  So I then had the honor of recovering the -oldest coin ever recovered...bar none...from a shipwreck on The Great Lakes!!!  (:

Thanks for sharing Steve.

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On a much less serious matter...

At the top of the page you see not a Jack-O-Lantern but a Coco-Lantern.   It is made entirely of things found at the beach, including one coconut, copper wire, small candle that I think is called a tea-candle, and aluminum can.

The hollow coconut was carved, top cut off, holes drilled for handle, aluminum can cut to line inside of coconut to reflect light and candle inserted.  So it is all made of beach finds, except I used two eyelets to attache the wires.  I could have done without them.

I like picking up things at the beach that can be transformed and used.  I don't like buying things.  I like finding them.

One day I found about 30 unused tea candles on the beach and collected them all.  They'll also come in handy at Christmas.

Here is a picture in light.  I could have taken time to carve it more artistically, but I thought it was fun.

Happy Halloween,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net