3/27/20 Report - Ancient Gold Stater Florida Find. 18th Century Dugout Canoe. New Opportunities!

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

Gold Stater Circa 350 BC Found 
in Shallow Water Off The Florida Coast

Not long ago I had some posts on old coins found on the Treasure Coast.  I also mentioned that some very old ancient coins have been found in Florida, and I'm sure on the Treasure Coast as well.  One way that ancient coins are found in Florida includes those mounted in jewelry.  You'll find ancient coins that were once mounted or are still mounted in rings, earrings, bracelets, pendants, etc.  I've found a good number of those.

I went back to find some examples and in a very early post found this photo of a gold coin that I found.  It is an Alexander the Great gold stater from around 350 BC.  It was found in shallow water, if I correctly recall, in North Dade county.   It is still in the bezel, which is on a nice heavy chain, but I used the Paint application to edit the photo to show only the coin.

This is just one example of a pre Spanish-colonial coin that was found in Florida.  I never entertained the idea that Alexander the Great visited Florida, or the Knights Templar for that matter.

When I found this photo that I posted years ago, I realized how much more thoroughly I research, inspect and document  things today as compared to how I handled finds back then. For one thing, I have better equipment and take better photos now.   I guess I should get it out of the deposit box some day and do a better job on it.

I found a good web site with information about the Alexander the Great coins, although it only talks about the silver coins.

Here is just a little of what it says.

Alexander invaded Asia Minor to liberate the Greeks and drive out the Persians. Alexander’s armies swept down into Egypt and then circled back, taking territory the whole way to borders of India. Alexander’s armies defeated every army for 13 years. While traveling back home through Babylon, Alexander died at the age of 33 in 323 BC. The coins minted under his name from 336 to 323 BC are referred to as lifetime issues and command a high price today...

The value of the coin principally came from what it was made of, not who issued the coin. The weights of the coins were regulated by city officials called magistrates. It is often their official symbols and monograms that we find on the coins. Ancient forgers used to coat copper coins with silver and try to pass them off as pure silver coins. It is not uncommon to find an ancient banker’s mark or a test cut in ancient coins. By piercing the coin, the person could tell if the silver ran through the coin... 

Here is the link for more about the silver coins of Alexander the Great.

http://www.coinsoftime.com/Articles/Coins_of_Alexander_the_Great.html

I don't know that I ever heard of holes in coins being used to identify forgeries.  If I did, I forgot.

Here is a link to a site that lists some gold staters.

https://www.austincoins.com/ancient-coins/alexander-ancient-coins.html

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18th Century Dugout Canoe.

Source: See UnionLeader.com link below.

Testing reveals dugout canoe discovered 80 years ago dates to 17th century...

The canoe was discovered by three fishermen from Tilton in the fall of 1939 under 14 feet of water in Verrie Cove along Squam’s northwest shore. After failing to spark local interest, the canoe found its way to the Shelburne Museum in Vermont, where it was identified as Native American...

Here is the link for more of that article.

https://www.unionleader.com/news/history/testing-reveals-dugout-canoe-discovered-years-ago-dates-to-th/article_23a7f1d7-2dba-5ed7-b67a-c4c8f376cdd3.html

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I've often talked about obstacles as opportunities.  I remember once mentioning that it seems like big treasures always have a dragon to protect them.  That is why they are still there.  And it seems that the person that slays the dragon is the person that deserves the treasure.  Sometimes the dragon is in the world, and sometimes it is yourself.   Most of the time it is probably hiding in the cave of your being.  That is why slaying it is so transformational.

It is natural to want to take the easy path, but the difficult path can be an adventure.  No matter where you go you take yourself with you.  That is why some people are always unhappy and angry and others are just as often content.

Did you ever notice that every miracle starts out as a problem.  That is a part of the recipe.

Every major accomplishment begins with a challenge.

People are being challenged today.  There is disease, fear, illness and economic downturn.  Those things might always exist to some extent but some people are feeling it more intensely now.

There will be sorrow and loss.  There always is.  But there will also be miracles of love, comfort and strength where there is loss, along with miracles of healing.

The fuse is lit.  What are the opportunities?

There will be new cures, new understanding, new techniques and methods.  In short there will be new ingenious solutions and new ways of living.

There are new opportunities in new threats.  How can you help in some way to solve the large or small problems you see?

Solutions create businesses and fortunes, and provide aid and comfort.  Be a part of it.

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The surf tonight and tomorrow will be up to three or four feet.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

12/31/17 Report - Treasure Hunting, Digging Holes and a Metaphor of Life. Should Be Viral Photo. South Hutchinson Island Beaches. Bigger Surf Coming Soon.

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

Partially Buried Scoop In One Big Hole 

Photo by Eric H.

This is the perfect picture for New Years.  If the world was populated by detectorists like me, the photo would go viral.  As soon as I saw it I had to laugh and showed it to my wife, who also laughed when she saw it.

It isn't that the picture is so funny.  It is just so meaningful.  It is a metaphor for life.

I won't tell the story that goes with the picture yet.  As a detectorist you can probably identify with the big hole at the water's edge.  You get it.  You've been there.

You get a signal.  You check it out.  More beeps.  There is something definitely there.  You start digging.  It is still there.  Dig some more.  Still there.  Dig and dig and dig.  You are almost there and the tide tarts coming in and every time you remove some sand, water comes in and fills the hole again. The object is so close, yet remains just out of reach.

As one year comes to an end, it isn't really an end.  We aren't done yet.  There is more to do.  There are things that we haven't yet accomplished even though we put in a lot of work.  There will be obstacles to overcome but there will also be windows of opportunity. There are treasures that will continue to draw us on and some that will continue to remain just our of reach.

You don't know what lies in the bottom of the hole.  Imagination says it might be some exciting treasure, while discouragement says it might be nothing but junk.  The optimist keeps digging, but the pessimist gives up and says there is nothing good there.

There is a lot in life that we can't see and haven't yet reached, yet we know it is there waiting for us - urging us on.

I've been surprised how religious or spiritual so many detectorists are.  It is no wonder though.  They search for what they do not know and do not see, yet they believe that it is out there.  They can search and work for something and not know what it is.  They can do everything right and still not be successful - until the right time.

Yes, there is much left to do.  There is more to find.  There is more to learn.  The goal has not been reached.   2017 may have been the start of many projects and the finish of some, yet there is much more to do.

May 2018 NOT be a year of bottomless holes and junk targets.  May your efforts be rewarded, and may you find the real treasures of life.

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Fort Pierce South Jetty Beach Yesterday Just Before Noon.

I took a look at the beach yesterday.  Here are some photos that I took at Fort Pierce South Jetty and John Brooks beaches.  There was no new erosion at those beaches.

Fort Pierce South Jetty Beach.

It was foggy still around 11 o'clock when I took the photos.  I had to enhance them a little because the fog made them look blurry.

Fort Pierce South Jetty Yesterday.

The wind was coming from the northwest.  The water had only been to the toe of the cliff.

I did pick up some fossil pieces.

John Brooks Beach Yesterday Just Before Noon.

John Brooks Yesterday.

There was no new erosion at either of these beaches.  I don't know if any of the beaches to the north improved.  Maybe some one can give me a report from up there.

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The surf predictions are encouraging.  As you can see, we are supposed to get a 5  - 8 foot surf next week.  Also some north winds.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com

Have a Happy New Year.

TreasureGuide@comcast.net