4/27/20 Report - Valuable Imitation Cobs and Coins. When Things Just Don't Look Quite Right.

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

Lot 1252 in Current Sedwick Auction.

See Online Auction Catalog

When you look at this coin, what do you see?  Does it look strange to you?  It probably should.

I was browsing the current Sedwick online auction catalog, and every once in a while, a coin would stick out to me.  I quickly browsed through a lot of coins, including ancient coins, coins of different centuries and different countries, different denominations and made of different materials, and featuring different designs, yet some of them just stuck out for some reason.  They just looked strange somehow.  And when I looked at the lost descriptions, I found they were described as "imitation" coins or cobs.  The one shown above is one of those.  Below is the lot description.

Caracas, Venezuela, "imitation cob" 2 reales, date "471" (early 1800s), quadrants of cross transposed, NGC AU 50, finest known in NGC census. Cal-749; KM-C13.1. 5.43 grams. Lightly toned over muted luster, with bold full details including 471 "date," two denominations (2) and "assayers" (M), three "mintmarks" (L), definitely one of the rarer "dates" for this series and a top-grade example as well. NGC #4771447-004.

We use a lot of different terms such as fantasy coin, fake, copy,  reproduction or counterfeit.  Sometimes those terms are used in a specific sense and sometimes a more general sense.  For me a counterfeit is meant to deceive, while a fantasy coin is not.  I suppose "imitation" is a general term, but I would not expect an imitation coin to be marked "copy" or anything like that.  Maybe there is a numismatic dictionary that defines the term, but I couldn't find one.

Anyhow, if you become familiar with a large number of examples, those "strange" coins might jump out at you.  It is easy to see what is strange about the coin shown above, but it might not be so easy to describe.  It looks like it was made by an unskilled person, and they didn't bother to put a lot of effort into it, but in general terms, it just doesn't look right.  If you are informed in an area, whether it is numismatics or some other area, certain things just won't look or sound "right."

One thing I should add, is that this coin, even though it is described as an imitation, that does not mean it is not worth anything.  This one is old and tells a story.  The auction estimate is $700 - $1000, and it already has a bid.  Lot 1253 is similar.  Check it out.

Here is another "imitation cob" that jumped out at me.

Lot 834 in Current Sedwick Auction.

This one looks messy.  One coin was struck over another coin, some of which shows through.

Cartagena, Colombia, copper "imitation cob" 2 reales, fantasy date "111" (ca. 1815), unique, quadrants of cross transposed, struck over a Cartagena provisional copper 2 reales (1813-14), NGC MS 63 BN. Restrepo-118.1; KM-unl; Cal-unl. A very rare type dating to the retaking of Cartagena by royalist forces in 1815, using Cartagena provisional copper coins for host flans overstruck with "imitation" designs meant to resemble Lima (Peru) cob 2 reales but with fantasy dates, this one "111" being the only one known to us (missing in all important collections), dark chocolate-brown in color with bold details including full pillars and cross, full "111" date and mintmark L, also with bold CARTAGENA visible in legend from undercoin, exceptional grade for any variety, in fact the highest grade possible, a true numismatic trophy combining rarity and quality. NGC #48372006-001.

This one is also old and has a lot of history behind it.  It is selling for a very good price.

I didn't plan to talk about imitation coins this morning, but these things just jumped out at me and I thought it was interesting.  Sone copies or counterfeits can be worth a lot.  If you look at enough examples, things that just don't look quite right will jump out at you.

There are a lot of curiosities to explore in the third session of the current Sedwick auction.

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I was planning on posting about some metal detector tests today.  I'll get back to that some other day.

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It seems like the surfers are having the same problems that the detectorists are, and they are suffering withdrawal.  Here is one sentence from an article on MagicSeaWeed that you might like to read.

For the first time in generations, surfers are having to skulk around and risk running afoul of the law if they are to ride waves. It’s like the 1950s all over again!

Here is the link.

https://magicseaweed.com/news/surf-bans-public-shaming-and-the-art-of-civil-disobedience/11848/

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I mentioned cause of death the other day as it relates to what we are seeing as Covid-19 statistics.  Tim M. sent this example.

My father, an Air Force veteran through out the "conflict" from 1957 through 1975 died of multiple cancers primarily agent orange specific leukemia. Death certificate states COPD.

That is one of the types of thing I was referring to.   For data to be meaningful, it has to be coded consistently and reliably.  Classification categories need to be clearly defined along with clear criteria for class inclusion.

In the past I've talked about the importance of definitions as they apply to metal detecting.  How, for example, do you define success?   If you are very clear about what you want to accomplish, your chance of success, as you define it, will be improved.

Tim also said.

I have been reading your blog for years now, and truly enjoy the knowledge you share. I personally  would be happy to pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee to continue to have the privilege of the continuation of the education you provide. '

Also I am completely on the same page as the sad state of people thinking beyond what media is promoting without any real scientific factual basis. 

I was most gratified by Tim's reference to "education."  

When I referred to subscription I wasn't necessarily talking about a fee, however I might be able to provide an upgraded level of specific timely service for a few folks that might find it worthwhile.

I'm still thinking about what I might want to do.  

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I've also been thinking about expanding on my formula for success.  I have a factor or two that I haven't yet added to the formula even though they should be added.

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The surf is supposed to be a touch bigger this week, but only up to around two or three feet.

As I've said some of the Indian River County beaches will reopen tomorrow.  I'll be watching for St. Lucie County news.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

3/5/19 Report - Piano Gold Coin Hoard. Contemporary Counterfeit. Cold Front Coming.

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

Package of Gold Cons Hidden in Piano Being Unwrapped.
Source: See CoinWeek.com link below.

Back in 2017, hand-stitched packs of gold coins were found under a piano keyboard.

... the British public–along with the rest of the world–was invited to help solve the mystery of a 913-piece gold coin hoard hidden inside a vintage piano donated to a local community college in 2015.

The 91.7% pure gold coins, 633 sovereigns and 280 half sovereigns dating from 1847 to 1915, were carefully stacked under the keyboard in hand-stitched cloth pouches. The previous owners of the Broadwood and Sons piano were unaware of the bounty inside for the entire 33 years it was in their possession. A piano tuner hired by the college to fix the newly acquired instrument made the surprising discovery. The six kilograms worth of gold coins were moved to the school’s safe and held there while the Shrewsbury Coroner’s Court determined whether the hoard qualified as treasure under the highly-successful 1996 Treasure Act, which many in the coin collecting and metal detecting communities see as a sensible compromise with government authorities...

Here is that link.

https://coinweek.com/editors-choice/british-museum-exclusive-video-of-piano-gold-coin-hoard/

What struck me most was how meticulously and neatly the coins were wrapped.  And the bags were hand-stitched.  That might provide a clue about who concealed them.

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... In ancient times, one counterfeiter’s imitation of a gold aureus of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius mixed designs intended for two different rulers. In addition, lettering on the contemporary fake does not match what appears on genuine examples. These problems and the coin’s status as a counterfeit do not damage its collectibility, however.

The counterfeit in question realized a $4,250 hammer price in Classical Numismatic Group’s Sept. 13 mail bid/Internet auction. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee of 19 to 21 percent, depending on bidding method. With this fee factored in, the coin topped the estimate of $5,000...

Here is that link.

https://www.coinworld.com/news/world-coins/2017/10/contemporary-counterfeit-ancient-aureus-sells-in-auction.all.html

The author of the article thought person who made this counterfeit didn't makethe aureus accurate b to avoiud

The author concluded the article saying, According to CNG: “Contemporary counterfeits of Roman coins are often hybrids; perhaps counterfeiters did this intentionally to provide themselves with a potential defense that their products were not actually copies of genuine coins. The blundered legends would further support this theory.”

I think people often fail to realize how different the world was in the past.  I wonder if this is not the case here.

In my mother's lifetime things were very different.  She grew up without electricity, a phone and indoor plumbing.  She didn't know much about what was going on when my dad was overseas in World War II.  They didn't get nightly news on TV.   Maybe they heard a little on the radio about places they only saw in photos in books or magazines.  And letters from dad took weeks to get back stateside.  She still watches TV programs about the war and says how little she knew about what was going on at the time.

Not too many years ago a friend of mine received a counterfeit twenty dollar bill in change at a store.  It was terrible.  It looked like it was made by a kid.  Yet it was passed.  I suspect that it was in with some other bills and was not inspected at the time it was passed.  It didn't have to be good.  How many people don't even look at their change when they receive it?

Centuries ago I doubt that most people had a lot of contact with gold coins, and without the information glut (or should I say noise glut) we live in today, how many would know what the most recent and various other coin issues should look like or say.  Consider literacy rates too.  I just wonder if they were really trying to avoid counterfeiting charges or if it might be something else.  No matter what the reason, I think it is good to make a real effort to imagine how different it might have been in times past.  We too often interpret other times as being much like our own and as a result judge people of the past unfairly.

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Notice the increase in surf and wind change that will be occurring.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/22/18 Report - Interesting Numismatic and Treasure Story All In One: Henning Nickels. Alligator Deaths.

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

Source: See numismaticenquirer.com link below.

Did you ever hear of the Henning Nickel?  Francis LeRoy Henning, of Erial, New Jersey created a bunch of counterfeit nickels.  As counterfeits go, they were pretty good.  About 100,000 were thought to have been put into circulation.  There was one problem with some of them that resulted in their discovery.

Genuine 1944 nickels have a big Philadelphia mintmark (P) above the illustration of Monticello.  Henning's 1944 nickels did not have that mintmark.

Henning also made 1939, 1946, 1947 and 1953 nickels.  They aren't as easy to identify, but if you weight them, you'll find out that they weigh more than authentic nickels produced by the U. S. mint.  The genuine nickels will weigh around 5 grams, while the Henning counterfeits will weigh closer to 5.5 grams.

There are also other signs that will help you identify a Henning nickel.  The "R" in Pluribus will have a tell-tale depression in the verticle bar, for example.

You can look into that more on your own if you want to.

Henning nickels commonly sell for $10 to $30, but to me it is an interesting bit of history, and I'm going to take the time to scan some of my nickels, particularly the war nickels to see if I have one.

According to various sources, about 100,000 Henning nickels went into circulation, but it is said that 200,000 were dumped by Henning into Copper Creek, and another 200,000 were discarded in the Schuylkill River.

If I were in the area, I'd do a little research and hunt for those.  I like hunting creeks and waterways anyhow, so I'd do the research to try to narrow down where Henning might have dumped them and look around a little.

That is an numismatic story that provides a good treasure hunting lead.

Here is a source link.

http://www.numismaticenquirer.com/TNE/Henning%20Counterfeit%20Nickel.html

There is another reason I mentioned Henning nickels.  It tells you something about how to identify fakes and counterfeits.  The weight of a coin can sometimes tell you if it is fake or real.

Many fakes will be made of metals that are less dense than silver or gold so they will weigh less than a genuine coin.  Remember, though, that if you find a silver cob on the beach, it could weigh much less than when it was made. Silver beach cobs can be half their original weight due to corrosion.

Another easy test that is too often neglected is the magnet test.  A silver or gold coin will not stick to a magnet.  If a cob sticks, it is not a genuine cob, but if it does not stick to the magnet, that does not tell you that it is a genuine coin.  Some of my fake treasure coins are magnetic and others are not.  I have one made of lead that, of course, is not magnetic.

I've explained in the past how a silver coin can be influenced by a strong magnet even though it will not stick to the magnet.  That is also a good test, if you know how to do it.

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.A woman was killed in South Carolina by an alligator.  That story follows.

I also read one telling of a lady in Florida that was killed by an alligator but I lost track of that link.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/08/20/south-carolina-woman-killed-by-8-foot-alligator-while-walking-dog/23505782/ake

Not long ago I warned of the danger of rattle snakes and other poisonous snakes in Florida.  I once had a close call with an alligator.  I could only see one yellow eye sticking up out of the muck.  I was nearly on him when he suddenly thrashed and gave me a good scare

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Concerning the mystery item found by G.J. that I posted a couple days ago, Brian M. said, , Hard to say but to me it looks like it could be out of a thermostat. The small hole lets water pass through till it gets warm enough to open.

Thanks Brian.
That seemed like a difficult item to identify.  I only got Brian's response about it.

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No storms at this time.  Summer conditions continue.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

2/13/18 Report - Future of Metal Detecting. How To Become Successful.

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

 St. Valentine's Skull in St. May's Basilica
Source: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/st-valentines-skull

Watching the Olympics I was noticing how young the athletes are.  They're kids.  It seems like most people are kids these days.  What happened?  It made me wonder what metal detecting will be like in the future.

I feel confident that metal detectors will continue to improve, although I'm surprised how slowly they have improved over the past few decades.  I know some of you disagree with me about that, but I remember many years ago reading about metal detectors that will show you what is in the ground before you dig it  That hasn't happened - at least not the way I expected  to see it.  Maybe I was expecting too much.

Will there even be metal detecting.  Maybe it will be made illegal.  Maybe there will be a better means of detection.

Will there be anything worth detecting that you will be allowed to detect?  Money seems to be on its way out.  

There are a lot of questions you could come up with.

I once conducted a poll to determine the age of detectorists.  Here are some of the results as reported in a 2014 post.

Only 3, or 1% of those responding, are fifteen or under.

In this poll, only 1 person, (less than 1%) was 16 to 25.

Even more surprising to me is the fact that only 7 (2%) of those that responded to the poll are 35 or under.

Here is the biggest finding for me. 93% of those that responded to the poll are 36 or older. That is pretty astounding even taking into account any margin of error or any possible interpretation of the results.

That seems unfortunate considering how educational metal detecting can be.


Speaking of age - there are a lot of studies of when people are most productive in different endeavors.  Most peak accomplishments come around middle age, but that is a gross generalization.

Here is an interesting article on how to become expert at anything.

http://www.businessinsider.com/anders-ericsson-how-to-become-an-expert-at-anything-2016-6 

If you read the article, two things are emphasized that I preach for metal detecting.  The author uses the term deliberate practice, which is not just hours of practice.  Here is an excerpt.

...To become an expert, you may need to be willing to sacrifice short-term pleasure for potential satisfaction of success down the road. A key tenet of deliberate practice is that it's generally not enjoyable.

Instead, it's about doing things that don't come naturally or easily, which can be tough. "Practice really involves failing a lot until you eventually reach your goal," Ericsson told me.

He cited research on figure skaters (which appeared in this book) that found elite skaters spent more time than average ones practicing jumps and spins in routines they hadn't yet mastered. By contrast, average skaters spent more time going over routines they were already good at.

Most people like to work those things they do well instead of their weaknesses.  Arnold Swartzeneggar always said,  "Work your weak areas."

But this isn't something that most of us take that seriously.  We're in it for the fun.  

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Ink From a Twenty Dollar Bill Inside a Card.

My wife received this greeting card with a twenty dollar bill enclosed.  She noticed the ink imprint of the bill on the card and thought that might mean it was counterfeit, so she checked it out.  

Click here to view a video that will show you how to check a twenty.

There are a lot of security features on a genuine twenty.  I once saw a very poor counterfeit twenty.   It was really bad.

I was thinking about copies and reproductions.  I don't know how many you've found, but I'd guess that I've found probably six or seven fake cobs - only a small fraction of the number of genuine cobs.

I've talked about that before and showed some examples.  Some cobs are pretty convincing to look at, but none of those that I've found were solid silver or gold.

I'd recommend getting an acid test kit, but there are times when you don't want to do a rubbing of a coin.  There are less destructive test pens etc., but what I recommend these days unless you really do a lot of testing is take your item to a pawn shop or jewelry store that will test it for you.  Some will not only test for precious metals but also other significant metals.


Copies or reproductions are based upon the real thing.  Toys or fantasy pieces are not.  At least that is a distinction that I would make.  

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Have other things to do,
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/4/16 Report - What Really Happened On July 4, 1776. Examining a Beach Find. World's Most Crowded Beaches.

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

Beach Find After Cleaning.

Before looking more at this find, I'd like to talk a little about Independence Day and what really happened on July 4, 1776.

First off, it wasn't the day that the Continental congress declared independence.  That happened on July 2, 1776.

And it wasn't the beginning of the American Revolution either.  That started in April of 1775.

And it wasn't when the Declaration of Independence was written.  The first draft was written by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776.

Nor was it the day that the Declaration was presented to Great Britain.  That happened in November of 1776.

And it wasn't the day the Declaration of Independence was signed.  It was signed on August 2 of 1776.

On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence and that was the date on the approved handwritten copy that is now displayed in the National Archives.

Source: ConstitutionFacts.com
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This cob shown in the picture above was encrusted when found and had to be cleaned.    It looks like a Potosi cob.  The surface was corroded and is very mottled.  Below is a picture of the other side.

Other Side of Same Find.

Have you noticed anything about this cob yet?  In the top picture you see the 4 to the left of the shield and mint mark and assayer mark to the right of the shield.

If you look carefully at the  bottom right corner, between four and five o'clock, you might be able to make out  "COPY" upside down.  

It isn't real easy to see that.  If I there weren't several other things that didn't look right, you might easily miss that.

Edge of Same Find.

There are a variety of other clues though.  The diameter is larger than a four reale.  The cob is very thin.  It is way too light.  And it is not made of silver or gold.

While the design of both sides is fairly realistic, there are some oddities.  For example, the denomination (4) would be on the right of the shield rather than the right and the mint mark and assayer initial would be on the left.

This is something that I'd definitely call a fantasy piece rather than a counterfeit.  The design is fairly realistic, but it is marked  COPY and could easily be recognized a fake.

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So you like detecting crowded beaches.  How's this for a congested beach.

Here is a web site where you can see the world's most congested beaches.

https://weather.com/travel/news/crowded-beaches-world

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Beach conditions remain unchanged.

Have a happy holiday and be safe,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

6/16/14 Report - Ring Finds, Commonly Counterfeited or Fake Coins & Silver Beach Reales Under Magnification

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

The past couple of days I've been showing some of the recent shipwreck treasure finds recovered by the crew of the Capitana.  Today I have some modern finds.   The pearl ring is Robert's first pearl ring.

Rings Found by Robert H.

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Ring Found by Robert H.Photos submitted by Robert H

I've talked about the problem of fake or counterfeit coins before. I've shown some that have been found on the beaches.  Here is a list of some of the most common counterfeit coins.

The most frequently seen counterfeit or altered U.S. coins, according to PCGS's 2004 book Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, include the following.

• 1856 Flying Eagle cent

• 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent

• 1955 double-die Lincoln cent

• 1916-D Mercury dime

• Cincinnati commemorative half dollar

• 1804 Bust dollar (a million dollar rarity)

• 1893-S Morgan dollar

• Saint-Gaudens high-relief double eagle

• 1914-D Lincoln cent

• 1922 Lincoln cent

• 1943 bronze Lincoln cent

• 1912-S Liberty Head nickel

• 1913 Liberty Head nickel (a million dollar rarity)

• 1937-D three-legged Buffalo nickel

• 1944 copper-nickel Jefferson nickel

• 1799 Bust dollar

The above list comes from an article on counterfeit coins which you can find by using the following link.  Check it out.

http://coinsguide.reidgold.com/counterfeits.html

I enjoy looking at old coins under a microscope.  You can see interesting things - maybe even find an error such as a date over-strike or die crack.  

If you look closely at beach found reales, they have a distinctive look.  You will see the oxidized silver and some other distinctive things.

Edge of Beach Found Silver Reale at
200 Power Magnification.

End of Florenza Cross on Half Reale
200 Power Magnification.

Famous Steeler head coach Chuck Noll passed away Friday.  You probably know of him whether you were ever a Steeler fan or not.  Being a Hall of Fame coach, he was often quoted.  Here is one of his famous quotes that I thought I would reflect on today.

 The thrill isn't the winning, it's in the doing.  I believe that applies to life in general, including treasure hunting, as much as football.  Football is nothing more than a game, no matter how big a deal it is to some people.  But what I want to address, is how true that saying is of treasure hunting,   If you focus on the finds (the winning), you'll be happy sometimes, but tired and discouraged and maybe even angry during those times when you can't find a zinc penny to save your life.  I think detectorists who have those highs and lows as they succeed or fail have a good chance of quiting.  Those who enjoy the process, win or lose will stick at it and eventually succeed.

Eyes open, ears open - sun, wind, waves, sand, detectors hum - there you are.  Enjoy it.  Suck it in.  It's life - the most precious thing of all.


On the Treasure Coast June 21 is nearing and we're getting some good big tides.

The surf is going to be just a touch bumpier the next couple of days, getting smooth again after that.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

4/5/12 Report - Possible Beacch Conditions Improvement Coming Soon & More

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

Recently Found Pot Shard.

Seems like a good time to remind you that when conditions are poor for one thing, they'll be good for finding something else.

The southeast winds have been piling shells up on some beaches. When that happens, cob hunting is generally poor, but lighter materials such as pot shards can be found then.

Here is one shard that was found by one of this blog's readers at one beach where shells have been piling up recently.


I saw a couple programs of the American Digger last night. If you don't already know, the main character (detectorist) is former wrestler Rick Savage. I didn't care for the way the show was done. Too much put-on drama for me. But what do you expect from a pro wrestler?

If you are not a relic hunter or specialized collector you probably would not have known that many of the items they were finding would bring such high price - hundreds of dollars for antique saws, augers, wrenches, and rusty things that some people might have just thrown away. That to me was probably the most worthwhile part of the program.

It always helps to have a broad familiarity with a variety of types of hunting and variety of types of finds. I bet most people have discarded something that was actually worth some good money. They just didn't realize it at the time.

The show might give some people the idea of going out and buying a detector only to find that it isn't actually all that easy.


Kovels Komments says, A copper fountain in San Francisco by Claire Falkenstein (1908-1997) has been stolen and probably sold for scrap value. Falkenstein was an artist who made large metal architectural pieces, including the doors of a museum in Venice, Italy, as well as unique metal jewelry. Her fame and the prices of her works are both increasing. Thefts of outdoor art are becoming a major problem.

The price of scrap metals is good these days. I wouldn't scrap expensive pieces of art, but don't pass up junk that has scrap value.



Sometimes when I post something on a topic, I happen to run into other things on the same topic. I was talking about fake cobs the other day and happened to run across this article on a fake 1799 8-reale. Unfortunately the quality of the counterfeit is pretty darn good. Too good, in fact.

The article is by Michael Fahey and published in the Expert Advice section of Coin World.

Here is one quote from the article.

Fake silver dollar-sized coins have become a specialty of the counterfeiters operating in Asia. U.S. Trade dollars, Bust dollars and Seated dollars have been targeted, as well as Spanish Colonial 8-real coins, European talers, Japanese yen and Trade dollars, and a huge variety of Chinese dollar coins.

If you have a technical interest in counterfeit coins, you'll want to read this article.

http://www.coinworld.com/articles/fake-1799-mo-fm-8-real-coin/


Treasure Coast Beach Conditions and Forecast.

Beach detecting conditions remain poor for the time being.

The wind will be out of the west tomorrow and the seas down to around one foot. That should make the water inviting. Too bad there is so much sand in the shallow water.

But the good news is Saturday. The wind will switch around and be coming out of the northeast. Seas are predicted to be up to seven feet or so. If it actually happens that way, there will be a good chance of seeing some cuts. Too bad there is so much sand that needs to be moved.

It might take more than one day to improve conditions very much.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net