2/9/18 Report- Excitement and Challenge of Identifying Isolated Beach Finds.

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

Mystery Object No More (?)

I've done this blog for a long time now - about ten years daily.  That is a lot of posts.  I know there were metal detecting forums and things before I started my blog, but I don't know of any that involved a single person doing a post on a daily basis for such a long period of time. 

I get emails from a lot of people.  I get questions, information, pictures and comments.  Some are posted and some are not.  All are read.  And I try to respond to most.  

One thing I know is how difficult it can be to identify items dug up on a beach.  That is a real challenge.  Items found on a beach are isolated finds.  By that I mean they are not found in a meaningful context.  That is why archaeologists have no use for them.

Beaches are tumbled.  They are tumbled like coins in a rock tumbler.  The front of the beach is always getting jostled around.  The waves hit and the tides come and go, moving sand and anything else in the area.  The back of the beach only gets jostled once in a while - when the waves and tides are higher than normal.

On submerged shipwreck sites you have some context, although things can get scattered far and wide.  You might have a hull and a ballast pile, and when you find items you might be able to make sense of the relationship between some of those items.  That makes it easier to say that an item probably came from this or that wreck, but there are exceptions.  Things from different wrecks and even different time periods can get mixed togethers.  Still you have a better chance of identifying the source of an item than you do when an item is found by itself on a beach.

Items on a beach can be thousands of years old, centuries old, decades old or dropped just minutes ago, and they get mixed together in the same sandy soup. They get buried, and then the time is right they pop up to play a game of catch-me-if you-can with any sharp eyed beach comber or detectorist.

My point is that any unmarked piece of this or that could have come from nearly anywhere or anytime, which makes it quite difficult to identify.  Archaeologists have made big mistakes.  Even under the best of circumstances and with the best training and tons of experience, it is still difficult.  The best trained and most experienced are at times taken too seriously, even by themselves, and fall into the trap of over confidence.  Being wrong is one thing.  It is natural.  But being totally confident while being wrong is not so easy to overcome.

Having done this blog for around ten years now, I recognize the familiar pattern of excitement and hope that a detectorist has for a new mysterious find.  Sometimes it ends in disappointment.  But through the process, there is likely to be a range of emotions.  There is the fun of the hunt and the excitement of a discovery.  There is research and learning.  And there is the sharing of the experience with other like-minded individuals.

When I started this blog I didn't know I would receive so much email.  I intended to provide what information I could by sharing my own thoughts experiences.  I didn't know that I would receive so much in return.

But what I started to talk about today is how difficult it can be to identify more or less amorphous beach items.  I wanted to remind you that it can take decades to correctly identify an item, and it might never be identified, but keep at it.

I found the 10 gram silver ingot or whatever it is, shown at the top of the post, probably thirty or more years ago. It is marked with a "1" over a faint wreathe.  I first figured it was a silver ingot.  Some people thought it was a button, but there is no evidence that there was ever any type of connector.  I was never able to identify the meaning of the 1 or the wreathe.  After a number of years, I thought, like some others, that it might be a scale weight.  But not too long ago, I read more about the assay process and decided it must be a post-assay sample.  I think that is what it is now.  It took many years to come to that conclusion, and it is possible that I will change my mind again, even though I think I know what it is now.  I still have no idea of why a post assay ingot would be on the beach, but you can find almost anything on a beach.  The point being that it isn't always easy and it can take a long time, which can be frustrating, enlightening and enjoyable.

The lack of context is not the only challenge presented by beach finds.  They are often heavily worn or corroded.  My experience shows that small beach cobs often ave lost a third or more of the original material.  That can erase important marks and make items indistinguishable.

It is also difficult to tell age from the amount of wear.  Here are two half reales.  Which is the oldest?

If you go by the amount of wear, you might say that the top one is the oldest.  Fact is, its the same coin.  One side is dull and worn while the other is crisp and clear.

I found this cob at Jupiter beach a number of years ago.  I'm pretty sure it came from the dunes instead of the ocean.

Here is why one side is so crisp.  The monogram side was covered by a hard crust that actually protected the surface (below).

Monogram Side Before Cleaning.

The monogram side was protected by the crust while the other side got worn down.

I've seen too many exceptions and peculiarities to be highly confident about much of anything.  I don't expect you to accept what I say just because I say it. I hope you will test out for yourself any tips that I present.  I try to explain my reasoning, examples, illustrations and sources as much as I can. I always appreciate alternative explanations and corrections and will gladly change my mind when I think it is warranted by the evidence.  When it comes to the ideas and opinions of others, I present what I have, to the best of my ability, and let you be the judge.  I try to lay it out there as fairly as I can.

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Google Stats tells me that yesterday there were just over 1100 page views. 

I received some good new information for future posts.  I heard of one beach burial that was uncovered, and also about a big collection of holed coins.

The tides are pretty flat now, as are the beach surf predictions for the next week or two.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/22/17 Report - Dug Gold Band Inscriptions. 1714 Mexico Two-Escudos Over the Years. Fake Silver Ingots and Online Transactions.

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

Inscriptions in Dug Beach Gold Band

This small gold band was a beach find.  It fits almost exactly on the outside rim of a U. S. dime.

There is an inscription on the inside that I was wondering about.  You can see it in the photo.  It seems to read DIC  22/  87.

The DIC could be a person's initials, I guess.

I don't know about the 22/.  It is not 22 karat.

And the 87 could possibly be a year.

What do you think?

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You'll find a great research tool on the SedwickCoins web site.  Go to the auction archives.  You can browse through the old auction catalogs and also find the realized prices.  If you want to inspect the pictures in the catalog in fine detail, download the particular catalog you want to look at.  You can then see each of the lots in amazing detail.

There is a lot to study in all of those auction catalogs.

Just yesterday I noticed a 1714 Mexico 2-escudo in the most recently completed auction catalog that was in many ways similar to the one found by Grant of the Capitana.  It was the only one of that mint, year and denomination.  It sold for $2000.

Just for rough comparison, I went back to the 1977 Bowers and Ruddy auction catalog that I mentioned not long ago.  It is an old hardcopy catalog and the photos are not nearly as nice or detailed as those you will find in the digital Sedwick catalogs.  The binding is also starting to fall apart.

Anyhow, the old Bowers and Ruddy auction had a lot of listings, including 69 1714 Mexico 2-escudos.  The highest price for those lots was $500 and the low price was $175.  In other words, the most desirable examples brought about three times.

As I've mentioned before, 1977 dollars were worth about four times what 2017 dollars are worth, so that seems to be fairly close when these escudo prices are considered.

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Here is something I stumbled on while researching a found silver ingot.  It was published on www.ebay.com.  It was written in 2010, so I don't know if it is still accurate, but it raises some interesting issues anyhow.

Well, the way PayPal works, if your item is fake, (and for example, selling an ingot of .925 as .999 is regarded as fakery), then PayPal usually tell you to destroy it. Very occasionally, they may ask you to return it to them. But usually not. However, if they asked you to return it to the seller, they would be opening themselves up to aiding and abetting an offence and perpetuating a fraud, so you'll NEVER be asked to return a fake item to a seller. 

So, after you have received your refund for the fake .999 ingot, you MUST destroy what might be a .925 ingot and confirm to PayPal that you have done so! 

And what do you get for your £30 assay fee? Well, quite simply, the satisfaction of fighting fakers and counterfeiters by destroying a bar of silver. 

And of course, with an ingot in your hands that nevertheless contains 92.5% of silver, that's exactly what you're going to do - ISN'T IT; you're going to destroy that bar, rather than refine it or sell it on with the certificate?

If nothing else this should remind you to remain alert to the possibility of items being sold on ebay and similar sites being fakes.  Be very careful when buying on those kinds of sites.

I do know of one reale that was sold on ebay that was a fake and when the seller was informed, he simply refunded the payment and no return was necessary.  You might have more trouble with other sellers.

I've sold some items on eBay - mostly books and bottles - and only had trouble with one buyer, and that one was from Italy.  I easily sold the item again, so it was not a huge problem for me.  Still I would be especially careful of foreign transactions and most especially China.

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There are no storms brewing in the Atlantic or Gulf.  No change in beach conditions is expected real soon.

The year is speeding by.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/31/13 Halloween Treasure Treats, Silver Ingot, Super Bowl Ring Returned, and Increasing Surf

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

Silver Ingot Sold in SedwickCoins Auction Wednesday

The first sessions of the SedwickCoins auction have concluded, but there will be more for auction on Friday in an internet only auction.  Lots in this part of the auction are generally less expensive than most of the lots in Wednesday's sessions.

The Friday lots include a number containing several cobs.  One lot offers 200 milled dollars.  Several lots offer several cobs.  There is also a breast plate listed and a variety of artifacts, such as spikes, cannon balls, etc.

The Lima, Peru, cob 8 escudos, 1703/2H, from the 1715 Fleet that I discussed a few days ago sold for $47,000.
Several other escudos sold for over $20,000.

The above  79 pound Atocha silver ingot sold for over $31,000, including premium.


I have been talking about some dug crotal bells in a couple of recent posts and just noticed this encrusted pair that sold in the auction.  They sold for over $800, including buyer's premium.

Crotal Bells Sold in Sedwick Auction.

Fort Pierce Inlet Park Beach Yesterday Morning

Above you  can see the renourished beach where they dumped tons of sand South of the Fort Pierce Inlet.  Despite the beautiful weather yesterday, it looks like project didn't result in a lot of tourist activity.  Where is everybody?   You can hear and see the grass growing on that beach.

Cut Just South of the Fort Pierce Inlet.

Just in front of all that sand was this four-foot cut.  Notice the sea weed that indicates that the sand came in since the cut occurred.

It is all renourishment sand with very few targets.

Another Beach With Tons of Sea Weed.

Here is another Treasure Coast beach that I saw yesterday - very sandy.

It looks like early next week we're going to have a 4 - 6 foot surf, and if the predictions are correct, it will last a few days and maybe get up to 7 feet.  That could certainly improve beach detecting conditions if the wind and waves are at a good angle.   That could be the welcome change we've been waiting for.

The low tides are still not going out much yet.


A stolen Super Bowl ring was found and returned after missing for decades.  An attempt was made to sell the ring back to original owner for $40,000 before police got the ring and returned it.

Here is the link for more of that story.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2783283791001/stolen-superbowl-ring-recovered-2-decades-later/?playlist_id=930909752001


I saw a few silver half dollars from the lost Fort Capron payroll found in the surf near the old Fort Pierce inlet in the Sedwick Coins auction.   You might want to look that up if you don't know about that Treasure Coast treasure.


Don't forget the treasure coin auction that runs online tomorrow (Friday).


Happy Halloween,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/5/11 Report - Water Finds, Silver Whatzit, India Treasure, Roller Coasters

Finds by Michael H.

Michael say Ft. Lauderdale has been sanded in but he has found a few holes while water hunting that were productive. He says he has been reading this blog daily and improving his hunting skills.

Nice finds Michael.


A few days ago I received an email containing a lot of good information about a medallion that I originally posted back in 2008. After such a long time it was a surprise for me to finally get some new information about the medallion. I'm hoping that someone will be able to provide some new information about another item that I posted in the past.



Front and Side View of 10 Gram Silver Ingot or Weight Found on Shipwreck Beach.

This is the other object. I'm still very curious about it and although I have received some ideas about it from a few people, I haven't received much hard information and still am not confident at all that I know what it is. There is certainly more that I would like to know about it.

To repeat what I said in an older post, it appears that a wreath is stamped on the front under the much more heavily stamped 1. It is about the size of a large button, but there is no sign of a shank or place for a shank. It is a high grade of silver (acid tested). It weighs 10 grams.

Some people think that it might be a weight for a scale since it measures out at 10 grams. Someone told me they thought it might be a assay sample, with the wreath indicating the owner and the 1 indicating the sample number. Or it might just be a small ingot. I think these are all possibilities. I sure would like to hear if anyone has seen one like this before or has some thoughts on what it is.


India has long been on my radar screen as the place with greatest metal detecting/treasure hunting potential. I don't know a thing about their laws though, and would never set out to go there without a lot of research.

Here is an article about a treasure worth billions recently discovered in one Hindu temple. Thanks to Don for the link.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/03/treasure-billions-hindu-temple_n_889489.html?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl2%7Csec3_lnk3%7C217849

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Indian-Authorities-Rush-To-Secure-Temple-Treasure-124966504.html


Looking for a new idea on a place to hunt during the summer? Have you ever noticed the people being spun and tossed by roller coasters at amusement parks? When I watch some of those modern roller coasters, the first thing I think about is where all of the coins and things would land. I guarantee you a lot of good things will be lost.

Here is an article that tells a little about how many things are lost by people on roller coasters.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/07/01/dont-let-roller-coasters-take-you-for-a-ride/

It might be worth trying to get permission to hunt some of those areas.


Treasure Coast Beach Forecast and Conditions.

You might as well remove all of those sparkler wires. Otherwise they will be there to mask any good targets forever.

The wind is from the east/southeast today. Not much wind.

The seas will be about two feet for the next few days and then slacking off even more.

It seems to me that thunder storms might churn up more in narrowly localized spots more than anything else.

There is nothing going on in the tropics either.

That isn't very encouraging, but you can still find a few things out there if you work hard for it and use your head.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net