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Tuesday, July 1, 2025

7/1/25 Report - An Experiment with Beach Sifting. Vibrating Sifter. Bigfoot Metal Detector Coils. Heinz Bottles and Rssource.


Written by the Treasureguide for the excusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.


Vibrating Sifter Created by Mark G.

Mark has been working on creating a powered sifter that vibrates for easier sifting.  He did his first test of the prototype. Below is how he described the results.

Got out today to test the power sifter in the morning, the sand was wet so I broke it .I thought it would fail. I few well placed screws and problem solved. I got out in the afternoon and went to the smallest beach closest to home hopefully not too many people. It was packed, but I staked out about a 100’ to 150’ square area to sift. Wasn’t sure what it was at first, it looked like something rubber and round like a rubber tire off a kids toy or maybe trash like from a bottle neck I put it in my pocket and kept sifting. Maybe a few more tweaks and tips, for one tip, stay out of the shell patches and seaweed sifter gets clogged quicker. The fun part is going through everything when I get home. The sifter is so fast I just dump it when it’s full into a bag or bucket can’t go through everything on the beach just scoop and go. The round white thing was still in my pocket so I looked at it again more closely and it had the number 7 on the inside like a ring size I said this is a ring! Unbelievable, first hunt with the power sifter and I find a ring that you can’t, won’t and will never find with a metal detector, I say mission successful. It’s a Marble Silicone Wedding Band for women or at least that’s what it’s advertised as. It’s marked on the inside with the brand Zollen and it’s going in the ring box!

Thanks Mark.

Here are a couple links to old posts on beach sifters and sifting.


I've used a couple types of sifters in the past, including a couple of the Merkitch-type. 

A fellow named Merkitch published a little book giving instructions for building a sifter.  That was probably forty years or so ago.  I don't remember his full name, but that is why it is called a Merkitch sifter.

Here is another good post on beach sifting.


There are several advantage to sifting, but of course, metal detecting is a lot easier.  You can get more by sifting if you are willing to put in the time and work and there is something there to begin with.  And of course, you get more than metal targets when you sift.  I've written about that in the past.

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I've seen these rectangular shaped coils advertised in the past, but not for years, and I never saw anyone actually use one other than on the internet.  Looks interesting, but I don't know how well it works.  Evidently it has problems, or else it would have caught on.  I think Garret advertised one long ago.


Advertisement From an Old Tesoro Booklet.

I never saw anyone use a long rectangular shaped coil like that other than on the internet.  I think other companies advertised similar "Bigfoot" coils.  Anyone every used one?

As you probably know, Tesoro went out of business.  I used a few Tesoro detectors and thought they were good for some situations.  I've told about my experiences with Tesoro before.  They had some interesting features, including notch discrimination and surface blanking.  

I used a Silver Sabre, Royal Sabre and Sand Shark.  The Sand Shark had a problem with grounding, but Jack gave me a hard-wired one.

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Unusually Shaped Bottle Find.

I found this bottle and didn't know what it held.  I thought it looked like a food bottle or maybe oil.

The bottom of the bottle answered that question.  The bottom was embossed as follows.

H. J. Heinz CO.

211

3, O in a square and 6

PATD

Here is the bottom.  You might not be able to see all of it clearly.


I gave this link to a great Heinz bottle site yesterday.  Heinzbottlecodes.pdf

It shows that the O in a square was the mark of the Owens Bottle Co. (1911 - 1929)

Here is entry for the 211 code.

#211 held white, malt, cider or tarragon vinegar. It was in use between 1924 and 1943 to contain vinegar. Between 1924 and 1927 the container was sealed with and aluminum and cork device that required no threads in the sealing area. After 1927, it was sealed with and aluminum roll-on type closure that did require threads in the throat opening of the bottle. 

Not what I guessed.  The date of the code combined with the date of the Owens mark narrows the date down to between 1924 and 1929.

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Source: nhc.noaa.gov.


The area over North Florida shows some development.  The chances of it becoming a cyclone is now up around fifty percent.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

7/1/25 Report - Malagana Gold Treasure. Ancient Change Purse Remains Found. Heinz Bottle No. Site. Tropical Season Underway.

 


Written by the TreasureGiude for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.


Source: AncientPages.com


Archaeological excavations and interviews with professional grave diggers - "guaqueros" are the main source of what is known about the Malagana Treasure.

The Malagana Treasure is a legacy of an old culture, which most probably flourished between 180 BC and 70 AD, based on radiocarbon-dating of relics, which archaeologists managed to recover from the almost completely looted site.

A necklace with beads in the shape of a schematic bird decorated with a delicate pendant shaped like a flower, manufactured by Malagana goldsmiths...

The site was accidentally discovered in 1992 in a sugar-cane field at Hacienda Malagana, which is situated on the flatlands of the fertile Cauca river valley, near the city of Palmira in western Colombia.

Countless artifacts were removed by the treasure hunters. The weight of the gold objects that were taken from the site has been estimated at approximately between 180 kilograms (396 pounds) and 140 kilograms (308 pounds). Finally, diverse looters left the site and archaeologists could begin their work. The four important occupation periods have been identified: "Proto-Llama" (earliest period), "Llama," "Malagana," and "Sonsoid"...

Here is the link for the rest of this article on the Malagana treasure.

Malagana Remarkable Sophisticated Goldwork: Legacy Of Colombian Pre-Hispanic Culture - Ancient Pages

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The rare discovery was made in January of this year on Hradisko Hill in South Moravia, at the site of a fortified camp once occupied by the 10th Roman Legion during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Though only about 30 percent of the original purse survived, experts quickly recognized it as a type of forearm purse used by Roman soldiers...

No coins were found inside it, but silver Roman money has been uncovered in large numbers nearby, which helped to date the object...

Here is the link for the rest of that article.

Rare Roman soldier’s wrist purse discovered in South Moravia | Radio Prague International

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Gov. DeSantis signs bill, Florida to recognize gold and silver as legal tender starting in 2026.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday that sets the stage for Florida to recognize gold and silver as legal tender, allowing the precious metals to be used for transactions and certain tax payments beginning July 1, 2026.

The legislation, aimed at bolstering "financial sovereignty," requires coins used as legal tender to be stamped with their weight, purity and mint of origin. While using or accepting gold and silver will be optional, the bill mandates that businesses wishing to accept the metals be licensed. It also requires check cashers and money service businesses to accept the metals...

Here is the link for more about that.

Gov. DeSantis signs bill, Florida to recognize gold and silver as legal tender starting in 2026 | FOX 35 Orlando

At this point I don't know how that will be implemented. I'll need to read more to get some understanding of how that will work.

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If you hunt bottles, here is a great site.  It gives the bottle codes for numerous types of Heinz bottles.


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It is time to start watching the National Hurricane Center web site.  We are getting into tropical storms season.  We've had two so far.  The last, Barry, came and went.

Now we have a zone hanging over Florida that has about a thirty percent chance of becoming a cyclone.


Source: nhc.noaa.gov.


The Treasure Coast will have a one-to-two-foot surf for another week or so.

We're going to have rain and thunderstorms for a week or so too.  Remember to check for rain and runoff erosion. 

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I'm still planning a remote viewing experiment in this blog.  

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Thunder is cloud-speak for lightning.

Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net


 



Sunday, June 29, 2025

6/30/25 Report - Coins, Fakes and Reproductions. Book: History of the Florida Keys Treasure. Electricity, Psychometry and Finds.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.


fake or real

I noticed the above coin sale online.  It immediately reminded me of a fake coin I saw before. As I looked at it, it just didn't look right.  It looks fake.  What do you think?

I looked at the listing a little more and saw that this coin was advertised as sterling silver.  OK.  So it is a fake.  Reading on a little more, it was advertised as a reproduction.

Can you see anything in the photo that would tell you it is a fake?  Take a close look.

Perhaps the most obvious sign, or at least the easiest to point out, is the seam that you can see running from the bottom of the view of the left up along the right side of that coin.  

I see no "COPY" mark.  Those marks are sometimes very small and disguised to not be apparent, but I don't see any such mark on this coin.  By the way, it was one of a group that were for sale from a site that sells reproduction coins - some being more obvious than others.

Should this coin be marked?

The Hobby Protection Act, passed by Congress in 1973, covers imitation political items (e.g., buttons, posters, stickers) and imitation numismatic items (e.g., coins, tokens, paper money, commemorative medals). These imitation items are required to be marked with certain identifying information to flag them as imitations. The Collectible Coin Protection Act (CCPA) further amends the Act to address the distribution and sale of such items. The Act prohibits manufacturing, importing, or selling imitation numismatic items unless they are properly marked. (Source: copilot)

I don't think this coin has to be marked because it is being sold as a reproduction. 

The asking price on the site is $37.95.  Being sterling silver, it does have some value.  I looked up the weight and it weighs 6.3 grams so today isn't worth much more than about a dollar in silver content.
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I recently mentioned treasure hunting in the Keys and Art McKee in particular.

Here is a good book you'll want to read - Hidden History of the Florida Keys.  You can read part of it free online.

Here is the table of contents.



And here is a brief excerpt from that book.



That is just a small part of it.  Take a look.  Here is the link for much more.


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We've been struck with summer conditions for, it seems like, at least three months.  No surf to speak of.  Nothing to stir anything up.  But now we are starting to get some tropical development.  We had one storm develop and quickly fall apart.  Now there is Tropical Storm Barry down by the Yucatan and no threat to the Treasure Coast.

We've been getting more rain too as well as some thunderstorms.  Watch out for lightning.

You can hear static from lightning a long distance away. I knew a fellow that got hit by lightning a couple times. I met him when I was doing consulting for Federal Express in Memphis.  He was on the tarmac both times.

Yesterday I was outside when lightning hit some distance away.  I was near an electric pole and heard static around the circuit breakers.  I thought they might be kicked off, but it didn't.  What happened though right after the static though surprised me.  Just a couple seconds after I heard the static about six birds came from I don't know where and landed right above the circuit breakers.  I wondered if the timing was coincidental or if the electricity somehow drew the birds. I'll probably never know.

Another strange thing happened close to that time. It had nothing to do with the lightning.  I opened an box where some of my old stuff was stored.  There were about four old baseball gloves from my childhood, my football kicking shoes. a couple footballs, including one that I kicked the heck out of and had a bulge where I usually kicked it, along with a few other old sentimental keepsakes.  But I picked up the better football and grabbed it like I was going to throw a pass and my hand fit it so well I couldn't believe it.  After sixty some years of barely touching that football, I felt a really strange connection. It fit like it was part of my hand.  I still haven't gotten over the sensation.  It felt like it fit better than a glove.  More lie it was part of my hand.  It was a strange feeling, and I haven't gotten over yet.

When I started to tell about this experience, I didn't realize any connection with treasure hunting.  I was just relating something that really struck me, but I just realized that I've talked for the first time about psychometry (object reading) in yesterday's post.  I presented the subject only to encourage tacking time to quietly consider or brainstorm about a find.  I paid no attention to any connection with the paranormal.  But the timing of this unprecedented experience did make me wonder about why the experience was so unexpectedly strong.  I do not have any belief that the incident had anything to do with any kind of energy resident in the object or any spiritual connection, still I was very struck by the experience and can only wonder about it.

For more on psychometry, see Psychometry: Reading Objects Through Touch - iResearchNet 

Interesting how things come together.

===

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

6/29/25 Report - Cleaning Coins: Notes on Using Muriatic Acid, White Vinegar and Baking Soda. Two Treasure Coast Find Examples.

 

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.

BEFORE                                          AFTER
Monogram Side of Lima Half Real Before and After Cleaning with Acid.

In an earlier post I discussed using a tumbler to clean coins.  Today I'll discuss using Muriatic acid and white vinegar to clean coins.

When found, the above half-reale was completely covered on one side (the side shown in the photo) with a very hard calcareous crust.  The other side was very different.  The side not sown above, was covered with a sand crust that was easily removed.  

The calcareous crust, although difficult to remove, actually protected the surface details of the coin from corrosion over the hundreds of years on the beach.  

The hard crust was removed by soaking the cob in Muriatic acid, which is one common method used on silver reales.  I didn't take the cleaning as far as is commonly done.  You can see that it is still black.  

I've posted this reale before, and I also posted the following excellent instructions as provided by Bill P. before.  Today I'll add some additional comments.  


Bill's Silver Cob Cleaning Method

Use this method at your own risk. This writer accepts no responsibility for misuse or ignorance or neglect for any person or party and for informational purposes only.

 This process uses diluted Muriatic Acid which is commonly used around swimming pools. It can be purchased pretty much anywhere pool chemicals are sold.

 A few precautions must be addressed first though. Here is a link to Bob Vila's Info on this acid https://www.bobvila.com/articles/muriatic-acid/ .

 As stated in the Bob Vila article, I cannot emphasize enough that water should NEVER be poured into acid to dilute it. The reverse is the only way it should be done...acid into water. This acronym should be in the forefront of your thoughts when using any acid...AAA - Always Add Acid!

 How to neutralize acid; baking soda neutralizes acid very quickly so make sure you have enough on hand.

 Muriatic acid is readily available at most home improvement stores in ½ and 1 gallon sizes. It is typically a 31% strength from the bottle. I generally cut this in half to roughly 15% strength and it seems to work perfectly but you may want to experiment (again, AAA).

 I suggest that you treat one cob at a time. I use a shot glass so not much acid is required. Place the appropriate amount of acid into the shot glass and gently place the cob into the container (no splashing please). Depending on how heavily it's encrusted, it should start fizzing immediately. It may take several treatments to dissolve the encrustation but in my experience once is enough.

 Remove the cob from the solution and if you only have one cob, neutralize the acid in the glass and on the cob at once. The cob will have a dull gray color.

 Next take a small amount of baking soda (not baking powder), place it in the palm of your hand, add a couple drops of water to make a paste. Then gently rub the cob between your fingers until a bright silver sheen is revealed. It's that simple.

 In the case of stubborn encrustation there is another method that works although not as reliable as the acid treatment. However it is much safer because there are no caustic chemicals involved.

You will need baking soda, aluminum foil and hot tap water. Make a paste with the baking soda and water, fold a small piece of foil in half, fill the folded foil with the paste and sandwich the cob in between. The whole thing may become warm as the aluminum and baking soda react. There also may be some fizzing. Once this is complete, you polish the cob as previously stated.

 It is my belief that using electrolysis can damage a cob. Years ago I watched a video when the early 1715 salvors were attempting to clean clumps of encrusted cobs. They dumped the clumps into a tub and poured muriatic acid over all of it. I never saw the finished product I'm sure it was effective.

You may want to try this first on a common silver coin instead on a cob...for your own peace of mind.

Silver and copper are insoluble in dilute Muriatic acid at room temperature.

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The Muriatic acid method works well. I've used it. The thing I would emphasize is monitoring any cleaning process. Check the progress occasionally and watch for anything unexpected. While silver or copper won't be dissolved, there is always the possibility of mistaking the composition of objects. Regretfully I've done that.

I don't usually remove all the dark silver sulphate, and I don't usually make my cobs bright and shiny.  Rubbing a coin with a baking soda past will shine the high spots while leaving dirt or a darker surface in the low areas.  I like just a little of that contrast to bring out the features.  Below is an example of a four-reale.that was cleaned that way. 

I used a microscope to view the cob.


You can see a few specs of sand remaining as well as the contrasting brightness of the high and low surfaces.  There are a lot of interesting features to be seen when you use an amount of magnification.

The aluminum foil method works very well.  I've used it too.

Lately I've been using white vinegar (5% acid) instead of Muriatic as my first choice.  The vinegar is safer for people and furniture.  I once got Muriatic acid on a dining room chair.  Not good.  You should use Muriatic acid outdoors anyhow.  It can give off fumes.  

Remove surface dirt, encrustation or corrosion physically first as much as you can safely do that.  Removing surface crust first will speed up the chemical process, but it will also enable you to get a better idea of what you are really dealing with.  You will learn about the metal as well as the type and amount of cleaning that needs to be done.  Extreme care must be taken to avoid damaging the coin when removing crust by force.

I have seen found coins with a crust that was completely impermeable to the acid.  The crust had to be physically removed before acid cleaning was possible.  The crust retained the negative image of the coin when removed.

Any of these methods will work.  Select the one that is most appropriate for the object being cleaned and your goals and circumstances.  There is no hurry.  You can avoid many mistakes by proceeding carefully and slowly.  If you stop too soon and are not happy with the coin, you can always continue, but if you go too far and make a mistake, you might not be able to recover.

You might experiment with coins you don't care too much about and gain confidence in your chosen method before applying it to your cherished finds.  For your better examples, if you don't feel that you have enough experience, you can get your coin professionally cleaned.

If you are going to sell your cobs, you will probably want them looking bright and shiny.  Augie of Sedwick Coins told me that buyers prefer them that way.

Sometimes you start out hoping for a Marie Osmond type of face lift but end up with more of a Nancy Pelosi type of effect.  Some cobs are simply nicer to start with.

In sharp contrast to this post about very old dug coins, when it comes to modern collector coins, cleaning coins in any way is discouraged.  Never clean those kinds of coins.  It is important to know when and when not to clean coins.





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On the Treasure Coast there is still a small surf.  There will also be a decent late afternoon low tide.

There was some tropical development in the Yucatan, but nothing that would affect the Treasure Coast.

Good hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Friday, June 27, 2025

6/28/25 Report - New Atocha Find. Art McKee Treasure Museum. History of Diving Museum. Bottle Information.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.



 

The above photo and following email message was received Friday from the Mel Fisher organziation.

The Dare crew, currently working along the historic trail of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha. The team has recently recovered TODAY an intriguing piece of silver—what appears to be the neck or handle of a vase. This artifact may provide new insight into the types of items transported aboard the Atocha during her fateful voyage in 1622.

In addition to the silver piece, a small ballast stone was uncovered. These stones were used to help stabilize Spanish galleons and are strong indicators that we are still on the correct path toward the heart of the wreck site.

Each discovery, no matter how small, adds to our understanding of this incredible shipwreck and brings us one step closer to the untold treasures that still lie beneath the sea.

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Dubbed the father of modern treasure diving, McKee also uncovered the sites of the Infante, Herrera, Chaves, San Pedro and San José. His exploits are chronicled in a remarkable exhibit at the Florida Kehys History of Diving Museum in Islamorada. 

The Keys' most famous wreck is immortalized at Key West's Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. The museum showcases artifacts and treasures from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, lost in a 1622 hurricane and discovered off Key West in 1985 by shipwreck salvager Mel Fisher. Items on display include gold chains, cannons, navigational instruments, coins and heavy silver bars.

That excerpt came from the site of the Keys History of Diving Museum.  Here is the link to that site.

Early Wreckers, Treasure Hunters and Modern Divers Seek Keys Shipwrecks

That is another nice place to visit if you are down in the Keys.


I remember the first time I was down in the Keys and talked to Art one day when his museum was already closed. He was always known as a friendly helpful guy.

I posted several times about Art McKee and his museum, which.  Here is a link to one of those posts.

 The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 9/16/11 Report - Bronze Atocha Seal Find, Florida Bison, More on McKee

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Here is a bottle that had me puzzled for a long time.  I finally learned about it.

Cliquot Club Bottle.


On the shoulder the bottle is embossed as follows:

TRADE

CLIQUOT CLUB

MARK.

On the heel there is a big bold REGISTERED and a very small 84C or 84G.

And on the bottom is an R in a triangle, which is the maker's mark, which is an important mark.


Clicquot Club Ale—pronounced “Klee-ko”—has a fizzy legacy that dates back to the 1880s in Millis, Massachusetts. It all began when Charles LaCroix, of the LaCroix Fruit Farm, teamed up with Henry Millis to bottle sparkling cider under the name “Clicquot,” inspired by the French champagne Veuve Clicquot.

By the late 1880s, the company shifted focus from cider to ginger ale, which became its signature product. Henry Millis was a stickler for quality, using premium Jamaican ginger and Cuban cane sugar, which gave Clicquot Club Ginger Ale its standout flavor. The brand quickly gained popularity across New England and beyond.

In the early 20th century, under new ownership by Horace and H. Earle Kimball, Clicquot Club exploded in popularity thanks to savvy marketing. They introduced “Kleek-O the Eskimo Boy” as a mascot, lit up Times Square with a massive animated sign, and even sponsored a radio show called The Clicquot Club Eskimos.

At its peak, the company was one of the largest ginger ale producers in the world, with a factory so big it had its own train station. But by the 1960s, changing tastes and competition took their toll. Clicquot Club was sold to Cott Beverage Corporation in 1969 and eventually dissolved in 1980.

Source: Clicquot Club – Bay Bottles

The R in a triangle maker's mark indicates the F. E. Reed Glass Co.

For detailed information on that see FEReed.pdf.

I just posted that bottle in tgbottlebarn.blogspot.com.


As stated above Cliquot Club was inspired by a champagne.

For information about that, here is a link.

The Widow Who Created the Champagne Industry

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6/27/25 Report - Coin Cleaning: Six Methods and How My Thinking Evolved Over the Years. Discovery in Keys.

 

Written by the Treasureguide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.




CEDAR KEY, Fla. (WCJB) -Among piles of dirt and debris also lie human bones from the past that were recently excavated as they were trying to renovate a pool.

After hurricane Helene, a sea wall that held up a pool for an 1800s property on 2nd street was damaged. This month, excavation began to repair the pool, until the property manager stumbled upon pieces of a human skull.

“I was just walking over the side just picking up some things in the dirt, seashells and things, and thought I had stumbled upon what looked like a piece of a broken coconut. But it obviously wasn’t a coconut; we don’t have coconuts here. So, anyway, then the bones were discovered later, long bones, and larger pieces of bones, so we knew it obviously wasn’t clam shells or coconuts,” says the property manager, Tom Ezell.

Archaeologists investigate human remains found at historic Cedar Key home

Thanks to DJ for that link.

===

Over the years, how I clean coins has changed.  I've learned some lessons and changed how I do things.

Below is a quick summary of the methods I've used along with a few notes.


1. Tumbling coins.

When I began metal detecting I found a lot of clad coins.  I already had a rock tumbler that was used for rocks, so I used it to clean coins.

I just threw piles of coins in the tumbler with a cleaning agent.  I did that until one day discovered  I made a big mistake.  A nice old (1715 Fleet) religious medallion got tumbled with the coins.  The medallion was so encrusted that it looked like a coin until it was cleaned enigh to tell what it was and by that time some damage was done to the object.  That taught me two lessons.

First, try to tell what you have before deciding on a cleaning method.  

And second, monitor the cleaning process periodically so you can see what is going on and prevent any damage before it goes too far.

Tumbling is OK for coins have no particular collector value.  Many coins can be done fairly quickly.

2. Electrolysis.

I purchased a electrolysis kit and did some electrolysis.

Electrolysis works but each coin is treated individually so it can be slow if you want to do many coins.

I relearned the same lesson I learned when tumbling coins.  Coins can be damaged if the process isn't monitored.  Too much material can be removed.  I discovered that on a buffalo nickel when I was testing electrolysis.

3.  Exchanging coins in machines.

You can put dirty coins that are not too damaged or corroded in vending  machines, push the return button and receive better coins in return.  I actually asked a vending operator if he cared about that and he said it didn't matter to him.

Now instead of exchanging coins in vending machines, I use dirty dug coins to pay for products where they have the self-checkout machines such as Wal-Mart or Winn Dixie..

4.  Muriatic acid.

Muriatic acid will work on many coins.  It will not damage silver or copper coins, however acid requires that you store and use it carefully and safely, is fairly expensive and is not available in many locations.

I've given the specific procedure before and will update it in a follow-up to this post.

5.  White vinegar.

I use white vinegar a lot these days.  It is used very much like muriatic acid, but can be slower in some cases.  It is inexpensive, safer than muriatic acid and easy to purchase and safely store.

6.  Professional cleaning.

I seldom use this method, but it is a good choice when you have a very fine or valuable coin.  There are companies that will professionally clean and conserve coins for you.  West Bay Trading Company is one of those.  Some of the salvage companies will clean coins for you for a reasonable price.


Try to get some idea of what you have before selecting a cleaning process.  That may require physically but carefully removing some crust or dirt before starting one of the above methods.  

The type of coin as well as the type and amount of cleaning that needs to be done will determine which procedure will be best.  The type of dirt, encrustation or corrosion is a consideration.  I've seen some encrustations that were impervious to acid solutions.

I personally prefer to underclean rather than overclean coins.  I don't like dug coins to look as shiny new as when they were first minted. If you stop early, you can always restart the process, but if you overclean a coin, you can't reverse the process.  Start with the safest process first and change later if you need to.

I will get into more specific procedures in the future.

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Clip from Stuart Rocks Beach Cam
.
No change in surf or beach conditions.

We are still getting a negative afternoon low tide.

Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net



Thursday, June 26, 2025

6/26/25 Report - Alternative Techniques for Treasure Hunting. SRI Testing of Remote Viewing. Psychometry or Reading an Object.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.


The remote viewing post I did a few months ago is still receiving a lot of attention.  It seems it is a popular topic.  Today I'll add to that content.  Here is the citation for a great article on remote viewing. 

Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 569–592, 2019 0892-3310/19 RESEARCH ARTICLE.    What Do We Know about Psi? The First Decade of Remote-Viewing Research and Operations at Stanford Research Institute by RUSSELL TARG.

And here is the abstract for that article.

Beginning 1972, three physicists at Stanford Research Institute (now known as SRI International)––Harold Puthoff, Edwin May, and Russell Targ––initiated free-response remote viewing experiments with psi gifted participants. The percipients were asked to describe their mental images with regard to some person or event distant in space and time. Many of our experimental series were statistically significant at four standard deviations from chance expectation, with effect sizes greater than 0.6. From these highly efficient experiments, we concluded that the accuracy and reliability of remote viewing is independent of distance up to 10,000 km, and of time up to several days into the future. Psi ability clearly violates our ordinary ideas of causality, since future events are seen to be the cause or trigger for experiences at an earlier time. We also learned that feedback to the viewer is helpful, but it is not necessary. Remote viewing is a nonanalytic ability; describing a distant shape, form, or location on the planet is easier than guessing a number from 1 to 10. The purpose of this paper is to correct the misconception that psi is weak and unreliable. On the contrary, in our laboratory experiments and classified operational tasks psi was found to be surprisingly reliable and useful.

Here is the link to full article.


That is one of the better articles I've seen on remote viewing.  

I still plan to do a little remote viewing experiment in this blog, hopefully someday soon.


Although I'd characterize my approach to metal detecting as being uniquely scientific/empirical, I also allow room for the intuitive side of things. 

Metal detecting for some is very much about the technology.  They are fascinated by the metal detector.  But when it comes down to it, the metal detector doesn't find anything.  All it does is give you a signal when the coil is over a metal target.  It doesn't tell you where to go to find treasure or where to put your coil.  Learning to read a beach will help you with that, but we've also acknowledged the role of intuition.

In the past, I've suggested what some would refer to as psychometry, or in other words, reading objects, although I didn't use those specific words.  There is a body of literature on that subject, but unfortunately too much of that literature is by psychics rather than more reputable writers. There is, however, a more respectable side to the subject, for example it's use in forensics.

I recommend psychometry as a method that encourages taking time to let your imagination focus on an object.  It can be used to facilitate brainstorming.  It doesn't matter so much if everything is correct or not.  The idea is to let your imagination flow while you focus on a find.  There is no need to assume there is any kind of special psychic ability or psychic energy involved.  

Here is a procedure you can try. 

Step 1. Begin by holding the object in both hands. Take a moment to feel its weight and texture against your skin. Close your eyes if it helps you concentrate better.

Step 2: Clear Your Mind.  Take several deep breaths and clear your mind of any distracting thoughts. Focus on being present in the moment and open yourself up to any thoughts or impressions that may arise.

Step 3: Tune In.  Allow your intuition to guide you as you tune into the object.  You may experience different sensations such as images flashing before your eyes.

Step 4: Record Your Impressions.  Write down your impressions. Let your thoughts flow freely without judgment or analysis.  That will come later.

Step 5: Reflect on Your Insights. Take time to reflect on what you’ve written down. Look for patterns or themes that emerge and consider how they relate to either yourself or the person connected with the object.

Much of that can be found in the article below.

Psychometry for Beginners: Your Guide to Reading Objects | Reality Pathing

I intentionally left out some of what you will find in that article.  I don't agree with some of it, but for the way I apply the procedure, that part is irrelevant anyhow.

I do recommend taking time to touch and focus on the feel of a find while letting your imagination wander.  Any thoughts or feelings can be tested later.  

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Tbe first Atlantic tropical storm of the season lasted no longer than about a day.

The surf forecast remains basically unchanged.


Surf Forecast for Fort Pierce Inlet Area from SurfGuru..com.

We are still having some decent afternoon low tides.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net