4/24/20 Report - $70,000 Atocha Finger Bar. Glass Ring. Revolutionary War Shipwreck. Sun Kills Virus.

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

Gold Finger Bar.

Source: Current Sedwick Auction (See link below)

The finger bar shown above is one of the lots in the current Sedwick auction.  Below is the lot description. The finger bar has an auction estimate of $35,000 to $70,000.

Long, cut gold "finger" bar #63, 669 grams, marked with fineness XX and three dots (20.75K), tax stamps and foundry/assayer SARGOSA / PECARTA, ex-Atocha (1622), ex-Christie's. 8-1/4" long, 1" wide and 1/4" thick. Veritably tattooed with markings on one side, including a full SARGOSA / PECARTA near the cut end, three bold incuse XX fineness marks, each next to an incuse three-dot mark (missed by the Christie's catalogers) to make it 20.75K, plus at least ten partial tax stamps of Philip III, also with cylindrical assayer's "bite" in lightly shaved part at rounded end, curious light scratch along the length of the marked side, traces of encrustation in crevices, stippled Fisher number on unmarked side, great provenance and impressive in length and markings. From the Atocha (1622), with photo-certificate #85A-1202A (TSI #GB063), and pedigreed to the Christie's (New York) auction of June 1988 (lot #95).

And here is another lot - a glass ring.

Spanish Colonial Glass Ring.
Source: Current Sedwick Treasure Auction.

Deagan's Artifacts of the Spanish Colonies of Florida and the Caribbean, 1500 - 1800, shows that over 11,000 glass rings being shipped to the New World from1590 to 1692.  

Detectorists haven't found any that I know of, which is not surprising, but archaeologists have.  They might not survive in shipwreck environments.

The one shown above is listed in the current Sedwick auction.  Here is the lot description.

Intact black-glass ring (size 1-3/4) with Maltese cross design, Spanish colonial (1500s-1600s), rare. 1.41 grams. Very thick black glass, rather light but not too delicate and small for modern fingers. Found in a Spanish colonial area of the southern Caribbean.

And here is the link to the online catalog.

https://auction.sedwickcoins.com/auctionlist.aspx

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A woman found a Revolutionary War shipwreck in a New Jersey creek.


… "I decided to look at New Jersey shipwrecks for my graduate thesis, so I went to our state historic preservation office, looked through some files and found this one," said Urmey, who is also a social worker at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst when she's not in school.

"I thought of this as a challenge, because the documentation said there's only 10% or 15% of the vessel left. I thought, 'Sounds like something I'll just dive into.' "

There has been knowledge of Revolutionary War-era vessels at the bottom of Crosswicks Creek and elsewhere in the Delaware River for a long time, but even during low tide they are rarely visible, and not much of the ships remain...

Here is the link for more about that.   Thanks to Douglas.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/23/manasquan-woman-finds-remains-of-revolutionary-war-shipwreck/3010465001/ If you use an adblocker you might prefer this link. https://www.stripes.com/news/us/navy-veteran-finds-remains-of-1700s-shipwreck-in-new-jersey-1.626750

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Recently I mentioned my concern about the challenge of having a population stressed by the recent COVID pandemic while the hurricane season rapidly approaches and other risks could be on the horizon.  I received an email from one person who contributes often to this blog.  That person was a County Emergency Manager.  (I've said before that you might be surprised to learn who metal detects and reads this blog.  They are intelligent accomplished people.)  Below is what he said in response.


This is a real concern and one I was very familiar with as my tenure as county Emergency Manager. My team worked very hard in trying to get the public to prepare for every hurricane season without much success. Some resistance was due to apathy and the “it won’t happen” mindset. A lot of it was due to “emergency fatigue”; where repeated warnings that do not result in an emergency just wears people out. People may just start to ignore the messages simply because they are tired of hearing about them.

And this is during a ‘normal' (non-pandemic) hurricane season.

As far as economics, each year we published a 12-week plan to assemble emergency supplies - supplies that would be consumed anyway in a year. We suggested using the BOGO sales and cleaning one gallon milk containers for use during an approaching storm event. Doing this meant one could prepare with zero or little cost.

One thing many may have learned the hard way due to COVID is it is foolish to trust a just-in-time or 3-day inventory system for critical food and other supplies. I hope this prompts more people to plan ahead.

So you are very correct in thinking this may be a challenge with simultaneous COVID and hurricane preparation. 

While hurricane season is still over a month away, a strong hurricane hit the Florida panhandle in May of 1863.

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Bill Bryan, Under Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, reported some important findings.  They found that sunlight, heat and humidity dramatically reduces the half-life of the Coronavirus.  I love it when they get past the generalizations and starting talking real science with real numbers. 

Weeks ago when I started using a facemask, whenever I was alone in the car I always left my facemasks on the dashboard of my car with the theory that the heat and sunlight would help.  Seemed like a good idea.

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On the Lighter Side.

Eight out of ten dogs surveyed liked the company they've had since the stay-at-home order went into effect.  Ten percent were not in favor because it cramped their style.  And ten percent were concerned that their servants not going to work might affect their regular supply of food and treats.

Facial beauty is no longer seen as an asset by women who wear facemasks.  Lipstick sales have dropped dramatically.

Online dating is now much preferred because that is the only way you can see the face of your hook-ups.  

Safe sex now means wearing a mask.

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One thing you can do while waiting to get out to get some sun is browse the auction listings.

Happy hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

4/16/15 Report - Atocha Gold Finger Bar. John Wilkes Booth Tour. Nimrud Destroyed. Buttons Found.

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

Atocha Gold Bar In April 29 Sedwick Coins Treasure Auction.
Photo Source: See Sedwick Coins link.

Here is the description from the auction catalog.

Complete gold "finger" bar #1526, 699 grams, marked with fineness XXIII: (23.5K) and serial number 152-1, from the Atocha (1622). 5-1/4" x 7/8" x 1/2". From a series of mysteriously high grade bars without foundry/assayer markings and tax stamps (also no assayer's "bite"), hence purported to be either the property of the Church or representative of the "king's fifth" (tax), this example with very bold fineness but light serial number (both hand-engraved), two dimples on top where the metal settled during cooling. From the Atocha (1622), with Fisher photo-certificate #A84-1526.

Here is a link to the Ingots and Bullion session of the Sedwick Coins Auction.

http://auction.sedwickcoins.com/Treasure-World-and-U-S-Coin-Auction-17-April-29-30-2015_a24016?m=all&p=1&ps=50&ca=860002&so=1&q=

And here is link to a short video showing some of the highlights of the Sedwick Coins Treasure Auction that goes live on April 29.  Take a look some of the great treasure bars and cobs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTDsxWexQN4

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Now that you have your taxes done maybe you want to think about a summer vacation.  How about a tour following the trail of John Wilkes Booth that he made in the after shooting Lincoln up until his capture.  This year is the 150th year since the assassination of Lincoln.

Here is the link showing some of the stops.

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/04/14/lincoln-assassination-road-trip-john-wilkes-booth-escape-route/21171737/

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This video shows ISIS  destroying the 3000 year-old remains of the city of Nimrud in Iraq.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraqi-city-of-nimrud-stood-for-3000-years-until-isis/

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Buttons Dug By Dan B.
Photo by Dan B.

Dan B. is still digging inland sites.  He found four of these buttons showing a locomotive and coal car.

Nice buttons Dan!  Thanks for sharing.








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Have you seen the Gold Rush Nugget Bucket?  Pretty neat.  I'd like to live close to the gold fields.

http://www.goldrushnuggetbucket.com/

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Here is a very short video clip made near low tide on Thursday.   There were a few rain showers up and down the beach.

Thursday on the Treasure Coast we'll have one more day of smooth surf and some good negative tides.  Friday the surf will increase a little.   According to the predictions we'll have a few days of rainy weather.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

3/30/11 Report - Silver Finger Bar

Silver Finger Bar with Markings.

This finger bar sold for $213 on eBay yesterday (Item no. 200590613134). It is 106 grams and was dug on the West Coast of Florida. I thought the story with the item description and the markings on the bar were interesting even if it did come from the other coast.

You might want to take a look.


Today I added a new poll to the blog asking what is the biggest silver real you have found on the beach. I hope you will take a minute to answer the question.


I was once again looking through Laura Stolia's book, The Marigalera of the 1715 Fleet. Very informative! I hope she soon gets some more chapters published as small books.


One day I talked about some factors that can be used to evaluate a beach. There are quite a few factors to take into account. If you have enough experience you can pretty much tell whether a beach will be good from just looking at it. But it also helps to do a little sampling. By sampling I mean running a loose pattern in different areas just to see what kinds of things are there. If the sample looks promising then tighten up your scan pattern and spend more time in the area.

Visual inspection isn't perfect, and neither is sampling, but both will help you to get a better idea about where to spend your time.

The more you get to know a particular beach, the better off you will be. And when I say know, I mean know in depth. To really know a beach, you should know where it is in comparison to where it was a year, two years or even ten years ago. The long term changes can sometimes be nearly as important as shorter term changes.

As I've mentioned, if a beach has a six foot cut, conditions would be very different if it was in a ten year accretion cycle instead of a ten year sand loss cycle. If a beach that was loosing a lot of sand over the years cuts, it will probably be much more productive. If the beach has been building over the years, a six foot cut is only cutting into relatively recent sand. That beach will not be nearly as productive.



I received this email a day or two ago from Victoria Smith from Ohio and obtained permission to post it. I only edited out a few questions that the writer asked me at the end of the email.

Here it is.

I wanted to share my story because it touches on your hometown coast. Mine is a love story grown through many years and a couple generations of treasure hunters. As a young girl my father encouraged my sense of adventure, and passed down his love of a good hunt. It was rare we could get a day to go detecting on an old farm or the city park, but those precious hours were some of the best memories of my childhood. I grew up and found myself separated by many states and many years when Dad moved to Florida in the 80’s and I raised my own family in Ohio, sharing the fun of detecting with the kids. But never did we lose the thrill or yearning for detecting together. Dad and I would trade stories, ideas and plan the ultimate challenge to one day go to the “Treasure Coast” and do a real hunt. Now mind you even with the research and reading we have done over the years, we are both realists and know its not laying on the beach in the sun. But still the idea has beckoned to us over the many years and has haunted our dreams like an undone promise….. And so we planned.

About six years ago I was struggling through the remains of a blustery Ohio winter with thoughts of sunshine and sand between my toes helping me pass the last days before travel. As the week drew to a close and I counted the hours until Dad and I could escape and hit some elusive spots to detect, a phone call came in the night. My much beloved Aunt who was here in Ohio had passed away. Suddenly everyone with whom I was to stay and enjoy the lovely warm weather with, would now be in Ohio in a matter of days. This visit and these days for treasure hunting were not to be this time around…. And so we planned.

Getting away to visit Florida is not always easy or economically feasible, but I had hopes and really wanted to find the time for Dad and I to hunt together. But as I contemplated a getaway, life threw it right out there, but not so much in a good way. Three years ago Dad had emergency heart surgery and a quick trip down left only a week of bedside waiting and only talks of the best beaches we would someday walk together. My prayers were only for his health. Not to be beaten, he made his way back and up and out in a matter of months and soon wrote he had constructed his own scoop to try out in the sands on my next visit….. And so we planned.

Last year on the week I planned to arrive I found my Grandmother was spending her last days in a comma, in Florida. I assured Dad I would certainly come even if we would not be able to travel across to the east coast, as that was too far from her. As we spent the precious hours that were hers, we sat sharing and remembering her wonderful life and took a few hours away each morning to walk the neighborhood beach. The ocean helped set aside our grief for a little while. At the end of my stay I quietly boarded a plan for Ohio knowing one of my greatest treasures had silently left my life. As I hugged Dad at the airport I promised that no matter what, next year, I would be back and we would really walk the treasure coast and hunt together…. And so we planned….

And with a much happier note and fingers crossed against fate, I can tell you that over Memorial Day very soon we are planning to make our dream finally come true and head your way. My Dad is a serious sort and has read about the wrecks, knows about leased areas and not detecting in water. He has spent his years in Florida reading up on the coast and tips for searching the sands. I have made reservations for us to stay in Sebastian and hunt the beaches in that area. I sent him to find your pages with maps so he can plan. With only two days we want to make the most of our time. I don’t get the chance to come down often and Dad is in his late 70’s. But for a woman who grew up making her sandbox a pirate boat and detecting the farm land around the backyard, two days on the treasure coast might as well be two in heaven.

Thanks for sharing Vickie!

While many of the readers of this blog are local, there are many from around the country and some from overseas. I decided to post this story for several reasons. One is that it speaks of more than one type of treasure. I started to sum up some of the important lessons you can get from this story, but I decided to let the story stand to speak for itself.

Maybe I will add one thing - "treasure hunting" is a great activity for parents and children to share.

Best wishes to you and your father Vickie. And the same to all of the individuals and families that pursue treasure in their own way.


Forecast and Conditions.

On the Treasure Coast conditions remain poor for finding shipwreck cobs. Not only have the beaches been building lately, but there has been a lot of building every since the 2004 hurricanes, both natural and unnatural. Of course, where the beach is not wide, it wouldn't take too much to change conditions there - especially if the water hits the back dunes.

Although, conditions for finding cobs are not bad, there is however still the possibility of finding some artifacts. I've seen evidence of artifacts on some of the beach fronts lately.

The water is going to be calm for the remaining week and into the weekend. That makes for easy water hunting (where allowed) and it also makes the low tide areas easily accessible.

Non-metallic items such as pot shards or fossils are also relatively easy to find when the shells get piled up on the beach.

And I should mention that there are a lot of tourists now, so some of the better tourist beaches should provide some fun.

Just a hunch, but I have a feeling we're going to get some good beach conditions before long.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net