5/14/26 Report - Florida Statute Recognizes Gold and Silver as Legal Tender. Sites for Selling Coins Online: APMEX & ModernCoinMart.

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

Fort Pierce South Beach Renourishment Project.

This project is farther south than I expected it to go.  It covers the area I detected the last time I posted my finds.  That area now has tons of sand.  

Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

Not much to see here.

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Florida Recognizes Gold and Silver as Legal Tender: 

The new law builds on Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution, which allows states to "make gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts." Representative Doug Bankson (R-Apopka), the bill's sponsor, illustrated the inflation protection aspect by noting that while a home that cost $75,000 in 1979 now costs $531,000, the same home would still cost approximately 268 ounces of gold in both time periods...

Both U.S.-minted and foreign coins that meet purity standards qualify, providing flexibility for coin collectors and investors who hold diverse precious metals portfolios. Each qualifying piece must be stamped with its weight, purity, and may include refiner or mint identification marks.

Here is the link for to that article.

Florida Gold & Silver Legal Tender Law: Tax-Free in 2026

No one is required by law to accept legal tender, cash or whatever, in payment.  That surprised me.  I always thought that was the point of legal tender, but it doesn't seem to be the case.  So this law does not require anyone to accept gold coins as payment, however if both parties agree, they can use gold coins.  I'm struggling with understanding the point of declaring something legal tender when there is no requirement or enforcement mechanism.

I've had people refuse to accept coins because they were off color or something, and I had one person refuse to take a fifty-cent piece. I've had cashiers that didn't know what a Kennedy 50 cent coin was, and one that wouldn't accept it. It is surprising how many $2 bills have been printed but have never seen one in circulation. No one seems to spend them. Hand one to a cashier, and there is a good chance you'll get at least a strange look.

In FY 2023, 128,000,000 $2 bills were printed, and in 2022, 108,352,000 were printed, while none were printed in 2021 and 2022. That still seems like a lot of $2 bills out there somewhere.

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A couple days ago I posted about the best places where you can sell your coins online.  There were some obvious choices, but also a couple that I did not know.  One of those is ModernCoinMart.com, which I decided to investigate.

It seems to be a good site for buying, but it wasn't obvious how you could sell to them.  After a good bit of searching, I found the following in the frequently asked questions. 

Does ModernCoinMart buy coins?

Yes, ModernCoinMart does buy coins. Please email Support@ModernCoinMart.com for further questions and inquiries about selling your items.

I guess if you are interested and want to contact their customer support line, it might turn out to be good, but I'd have to research that more to say.

APMEX.com buys coins and other things such as metals and jewelry, however if I interpret it correctly, the minimum is $1000.00.  Here is what that site says.

Before submitting your quote to APMEX, please review the necessary information our Purchasing Department requires. 

If I correctly interpret the wording on their site, they have a minimum purchase of $1000.00.

And here is the instructions for selling to them.

Step-by-step selling process:

Let us know what you want to sell and the quantity. If you request a quote online, you’ll receive an offer in less than two business hours and can complete your order online. If you prefer a personal conversation, call our team at (800) 514-6318.


After we confirm your products and quantities, we’ll quote your price and lock it in online or over the phone. Once your price is locked, you’re protected from market changes while your metals are in transit. If you’d like to trade into another product on APMEX.com, we can discuss that at this stage.


When you use APMEX Logistics, we’ll email you prepaid shipping labels and clear packing instructions. Pack your items in a new, unmarked box. If the packing instructions are not followed, APMEX Logistics insurance coverage may be impacted in the unlikely event of loss or damage.

After packing, drop off your shipment at the approved carrier location shown on your APMEX Logistics label. Carriers may refuse packages that are not securely packed. If you do not ship within two business days of creating the order or cancel the transaction, the Market Loss Policy you agreed to at account setup will apply.

Note: If you must reuse a box, remove or cover any markings that suggest hazardous or dangerous contents, as they may affect coverage.


When your shipment arrives, our Receiving team verifies the products and quantities and authenticates each item using our internal processes. Our Numismatic team is available to review collectible pieces if needed.


Once we receive your full order, we process and release payment quickly. VIP and Elite Bullion Club members are paid one business day after the EPO is processed. Other Bullion Club members and nonmembers are paid within two business days after EPO processing.

Request a quote for your products today


Before submitting your quote to APMEX, please review the necessary information our Purchasing Department requires. Please also keep in mind that our minimum buyback is $1,000, we do not purchase raw ungraded pennies, jewelry items (rings, necklaces, etc..) and unrefined precious metals (dust, nuggets, etc...)



I tried to find reviews and found a summary of 8000 on   APMEX Reviews 2026: What 8,000+ Customer Ratings Reveal which said they got only 1.5 out of 5 stars.  Not that good.  Some comments indicated they were very slow.

Years ago, I sold a lot of things on eBay and that process isn't bad, but since then it has become more expensive.  It seems there are some good pawn shops and jewelry stores, but some that aren't so good either.

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Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

5/13/26 Report - A Lifetime of Metal Detecting Memories: The Search.

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

 I woke up this morning and started thinking about what stuck out in my mind about the time I spend metal detecting.  I can't say metal detecting is the most important thing in my life. It is certainly not, but it does provide a lot of fond memories.  I think the metal detecting memories come to mind so easily simply because I have been writing about metal detecting daily for many years.  When you tell the stories, especially taking enough time to write them down, they are imprinted in your mind more strongly.  And when I woke up this morning, I was thinking about what I'd post, so there it was.  That is what I was thinking about.  If I thought about my childhood, family or professional life, I suspect the same thing would flood my mind.  I'm sure that is true.

But while I'm thinking of metal detecting, it does seem that there are a lifetime of memories.  Some much more prominent than others, but the longer I reflect, the more images and memories come into view.  It seems lie I could do that all day and there would be no end of the times that come to mind.

Some types of memories are more prominent than others.  Among the first that come to mind are the most amazing days of especially big or multiple finds.  And there are many firsts.  My first ring, for example.  That goes back probably forty something and maybe fifty years, I would guess without looking up the date.  I might have my scribbled records of that somewhere.

I remember the first time I found silver on John Brooks beach.  I remember it well, maybe partly because I've told the story before or maybe I would have remembered that anyhow.

But it was almost in front of the beach access.  I picked it up and handed it to my wife.  It was just a thin slice of blackened silver.  She was going to toss it.  I remember telling here not to keep it.  I wanted to take it home and test it and was glad I did.  It wasn't anything great, but I finally found my first piece of Spanish shipwreck silver.  Many first-finds, such as my first ring or first piece of shipwreck silver stick out in my memory.  

The first time I found several reales in a very short time, was also a very memorable day.  That day it was the freezing cold.  I've told that story before too.  Again, there was no one else on the beach.  I did see one fellow walk out onto the beach, but after feeling the freezing wind, he simply shook his head and left.   

In contrast, there was the day I found my nicest solitaire diamond ring.  That was another combination of a great find and a strikingly memorable day.  It was shortly after sunrise.  Again, I was the only one on the beach.  It was very quiet.  It was early enough that the sea was still at rest. The morning breeze hadn't yet begun. The sun was bright, the sky blue, the ocean was bathwater crystal clear, and as my scoop lifted just an inch or so, the sand slid away, and I could see the diamond sparkle through the water.  It was an amazing sight.

Many of my best detecting days come to mind.  There were those two mornings in the water off Fort Lauderdale when the bottom was carpeted with good targets on every foot of sand.  I remember telling Kevn Reilly of Reilly's Treasured Gold that I found $20 in quarters alone in during a four-hour hunt.  I've told before about the rings I found those two days before the treasure window closed.

Or the day after Hurricane Andrew when I found a carpet of silver on an uncovered coral outcrop on one end of Key Biscayne.

I could go on like this for as long as I think about it but I'll go back to the beginning.

It seems that what I am is a collection of memories.  I remember my first time metal detecting.  That goes back more than fifty years, but I can't say exactly how many years ago it was.  I've told about it before.  My grandmother got a Radio Shack metal detector and we went out to the old home site in the hills where she lived for a while as a child.  Only the stone chimney stood, but there were other obvious remains of an old house that could be found between the brush and weeds.  We didn't find coins, but we did find a few iron artifacts.  I was totally unimpressed by the few rusty finds.  

I played with the detector a few times after that but didn't continue metal detecting for some years.  I doubted the Radio Shack detector would even find a coin, but maybe it was my fault.  I really didn't know how to use it very well.

If I took that same old detector out to the same site today, I'm sure I'd have more luck and a lot more fun with it.  I now know enough to find things even if the detector isn't very good and I'd appreciate the finds more now even if they are rusty or not worth anything.  Any small token of grandma's early life would be enough.  In fact, just to stand there once again and remember would be enough.  I'd appreciate the times feel the memories.

If I took that trip again, the road would take me past the historic brick church where I went to Sunday School for a week one summer as a little child.  I remember throwing stones at the old, weathered outhouse behind the church.  I think I got scolded for that.  

I'd pass the baseball field where I played little league ball and hit a home run to right field.

I'd pass the old farm buildings that were converted to a restaurant called the Mansion House where we our family would eat on special occasions.  They served what they called family style.  They put the meal on the table just like you would for a big family meal at home and you'd pass the platters around and serve yourself.  

The road would then take me through the village of Prosperity and the cemetery where my parents and grandparents now lie.  Then through the covered bridge over the winding creek and up over the hill to whatever if anything now remains of the home site.  I'd stand on the unpaved road looking through the wild cherry trees down green valley and remember throwing stones far as I could and grandpa smiling and commenting on how far I could throw.  

It turns out my metal detecting trip with grandma and grandpa wasn't so much about metal detecting after all.  I thought we went out to find coins or gold, as unlikely as that would be, but now I know better.  It took all these years to finally realize what it was really all about.  It was a lovely trip.

Have a good trip,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net.

5/12/16 Report - Pareidolia: The Constant Danger for Detectorists an Scientists Alike. List of Sites Where You Can Sell Coins Online.

 

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

A hiker recently found a 1500-year-old richly decorated fitting for a sword scabbard (shown below).  It was discovered in what is now a popular hiking area...

Recently Found 1500-year-old Scabbard.

... the fitting features filigree ornamentation – goldsmith work made from thin metal threads bent or twisted into patterns...

"This places the object among the finest works from the period, created by highly skilled goldsmiths," ...

But what does the intricate motif on the fitting represent?

According to Kristoffersen, it is meant to depict animals.

"When trying to identify these strange creatures, it's always helpful to look for the eye first. Then a nose and facial profile quickly emerge," she writes.

She explains that the motif is symmetrically composed of two animal heads in profile facing each other – one positioned along the upper edge and the other inverted along the lower edge.

Gold sword-scabbard fittings usually show little evidence of wear. This example, however, is clearly worn and heavily used. This suggests the chieftain actually used it frequently.  It emphasised his position and power, says Reiersen....

Here is the link for the entire article.

A hiker discovered a 1,500-year-old gold treasure in Norway

I often talk about the challenges of identifying objects.  If you look at the drawing of the motif at the top of this post, it seems to me that the interpretation is a real stretch.  

Pareidolia is the tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus usually visual, so that one detects an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none. Pareidolia is a specific but common type of apophenia (the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things or ideas).

Common examples include perceived images of animals, faces, or objects in cloud formations; seeing faces in inanimate objects; or lunar pareidolia like the Man in the Moon ... (Wikipedia)

That is a danger to anyone trying to interpret the world, including scientists.  It is something that detectorists encounter in trying to identify finds.  

A newborn's visual system is still developing, but they are already drawn to certain stimuli. Within the first hours and days after birth, a baby’s eyes are most focused on the mother’s face, especially her eyes. It would seem there is a survival value in that and it might have a genetic component.

We don't really see the world as it is.  To begin with, we only see parts of the world (the parts our eyes respond to) and the sensory data is quickly processed to be something other than taw data provided by the light energy that caused the chemical response in the retina.  

It is easy to see what you want to see when the object or design is ambiguous to some extent.  Objectivity doesn't come easily and requires constant checking.

The brain is always interpreting and reacting to stimuli.  The world we react to, is to a larger degree than we typically acknowledge, a world of our own making. People have difficulties when "their" world does not effectively coordinate with that of others.

===

Global silver supply is in severe deficit for its 6th consecutive year with cumulative shortage expected to reach 866 million oz. by end of 2026, driven by explosive demand from AI data centers, EVs, solar panels, and emerging technologies, compounded by China’s control of 70% of global silver bullion supply and recent US designation of silver as a critical mineral.

Here is that link.

Gold and Silver Deliveries Escalate - A Warning for Currencies? - 24/7 Wall St.

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Here is an article that gives seven of the best places to see coins online.  Some of them are obvious, like eBay, but there are other you might not know so much about.

The article discusses the pros and cons of each site.  There are a couple that I'll look into more for myself.

Here is a little of what the article says.

Here is that link.

7 Best Places to Sell Coins Online (How to Cash Out)

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Wabasso Beach This Morning.

Here is the link for the Wabasso beach cam.

Indian River County FL.

Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

It looks like the Fort Pierce beach renourishment project is down around the Archie's wreck now.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

5/11/26 Report - Metz Myatery Sphere Find on Florida,s St. George Island. Hint for Understanding and Interpreting Unidentified Objects. UFOs Files.

 

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

Wayne Betz with the sphere.© Florida Times-Union Archive/WJCT

Maybe you've heard of the Betz mystery sphere.

In 1974 the Betz family of St. George Island, Florida, found a heavy metal sphere in their yard.

However, they believed the sphere might be a historic cannonball.  The sphere was clean and free of corrosion.  It turned out to be stainless steel.

The Betz's said the ball behaved strangely.  They said it reacted to the sound of a guitar and it made a throbbing noise that scared the dog.  When rolled on the floor, it changed direction on its own.

One "expert from a research firm" found radio waves coming from it and a magnetic field around it.  Attempts to x-ray the ball were unsuccessful.

Sometime in 1974 the Navy identified the object as a ball check valve. In size and composition, it matches a Bell & Howell ball check valve.

Despite all that, the ball remains controversial and is still discussed online.

Here is a link for more about that.

A family found a strange metal sphere in the woods. It started moving on its own—then the Navy got involved.

Speaking of mystery spheres and objects.

There are UFOs and UDOs.  They have two things in common.  The U and the O.  

Unidentified Flying Object or Unidentified Dug Object - they are both unidentified.  And second, they are both objects, which means they present a puzzle or challenge to the inquiring mind.  And whether they fly or not, the problem of identification remains, and it is fun to try to figure it out.

There has been a change in terminology.  Once referred to as UFOs, they are now often referred to as UAPs.  So what is the significance of the change?  

What do I always say about definitions?  There is nothing more important if you are going to talk about something in a way that actually accomplishes anything significant.

I often talk about mystery objects. Dictionary definitions usually say something like and object is something material can be perceived.  But there are other definitions for the word.  For example, there are programming objects, and a sentence might have an object and a subject. But for now, let's stick with the one meaning.  An object is separate from its surroundings.  In other words, it has recognizable borders and maintains some degree of stability or constancy over time.  It isn't really so easy to define some words that are used all the time and taken for granted without really diving into it any farther.  It really isn't so easy to be what I would call precise. 

Anyhow, I think there is a very significant difference implied by the change in terms.  So what is a phenomenon?  I'd say something like it is an experiential reality.  It takes the subjective into account.  Not just the objective.  Here is what I got from Bing.  Phenomenalism posits that reality is dependent on our perceptions and experiences, suggesting that objects and events only exist as they are perceived by our senses. In contrast, Realism asserts that reality exists independently of our perceptions and experiences, and that objects and events have an objective existence regardless of whether we are aware of them. While Phenomenalism emphasizes the subjective nature of reality, Realism emphasizes the objective and independent existence of the external world.

You might say that the noise of a log falling in the forest with no one around is real and exists, but if you take the view of phenomenalism, being perceived or experienced is part of its being. It seems to me that the change in terminology admits the significance of the subjective element of perception or experience. 

I won't bother to address the replacement of "flying" with "aerial" other than ask how flying might be different from moving or "appearing" to move through space.  It also acknowledges that these "unidentifieds" have been observed to move through water and possibly even land. So there is now an additional separate term for the underwater UFOs, or USOs.

It is not clear that all of them are really objects - depending upon the definition.  Some might be forces or even appearances, and some could even be illusions.  At this point, the main constant is the unidentified part and that doesn't seem like a very productive way to classify things.  Should you lump so many diverse unidenfieds" together?

We think of seeing an object but ignore how that happens.  Do you actually see the object, or do you see light reflected from the object?  The light is focused on the retina where the rods and cones react and send signals to the brain where the patterns are analyzed again and interpreted.  Each part of the system contains noise and is a possible source of error.  A hard punch might make you see "stars" when the retina reacts to the force.  And the central processing system can easily misinterpret, for example with the man well-known and studied visual illusions.

When eyewitness reports are corroborated by radar or other technological sensing, a greater confidence is given, but those systems, like humans, are not perfect either.  The development of radar systems gave rise to signal detection theory because of the signal to noise problem and false returns.  A similar kind of thing can happen with metal detectors.  The world is full of signals but also noise.  Distinguishing one from the other is a pervasive problem.

In all my years of schooling one of the most useful things I ever learned was signal detection theory, which attempts to quantify and formalize the problem of decision making in noisy environments.   Here is a brief introduction.  Signal Detection Theory: 10 Examples and Definition (2026)

And another of the most useful things I ever learned is operationalism, which emphasizes defining things by the operations used to measure them.  It is mostly used in scientific settings but is also very useful in almost all aspects of daily life.  It asks you to be specific and detailed about how you measure and therefore define things.  See Operationalism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).  

I feel like those signal detection theory and operationalism will help explain some of the mysteries of quantum physics.  If you view, as I do, that awareness of all material things is surrounded by a cloud of uncertainty, or you might say noise, so when a "particle" goes through the slit as in the famous double slit experiment, if you view a particle as noisy or cloudy rather than a clean particle, you can think of different ways to explain the unexpected results.  They talk of particle states as being probabilities, which seems to me to be is just another way of talking about relative uncertainty.  

When making an assertion, ask yourself how do you know?  And try to answer that question very specifically.  How did you determine that?  What were your criteria?  It will often be difficult ot answer those questions.  There will be many times when it all goes unquestioned.  For example, you look at an animal and quickly determine it is a cat. How do you know?  What caused you to come to that conclusion.  The criterial attributes will not always be clear.  Usually, it will come down to something as simple and vague as "it looks like a cat and I know what a cat looks like" but if you had to really tell someone else how to tell a cat from a fox or a dog by appearances alone, you might find it more difficult.   If you were challenged to tell someone how you can identify fox and a cat or dog, it becomes more difficult.  Simple things like four leges, fur, and tail do not distinguish between them.

I say all that to point to the problems of identifying mystery objects or metal good metal detector signals.  It is the same kind of process.  The same kinds of challenges exist, and the same kinds of errors can occur.  

The Betz mystery sphere appeared to change direction on when it was rolled across the floor.  If it was very perfectly formed, as it would have been as a ball check valve.  Any deviation in the floor could have caused a change in momentum or direction.  There are many possible explanations for the weird behavior of the ball.  And perception and interpretation plays a roll.

I'll have to stop there for today.  

Sorry, but the UFO files and the matter of certainty and uncertainty are just too interesting and fun for me.  They are very relevant for treasure hunting and metal detecting although the connection might not be immediately obvious.  I've tried to hint at some of the relevance without going into great detail.

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Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

 Wednesday's peak surf decreased since the last chart I posted.  That isn't unusual.  

The tides are moderate and the surf remains small for the week.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

5/10/26 Report - Coin Market: Historical Value Trends and Indices. First Florida Electric Highway. Kang-Hsi or Later Qing.

 

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

If you want to know the historical price trends for coins, there are several indices you can consult. One is the PCGS3000 index.  The PCGS Ultra Rarities Index, tracks elite-level coins.  That is one segment of the market and might not always apply to more common coins that are held by the majority of collectors.

The size of the collectible coin market is massive. Some reports show an industry that’s been sliding for years, if not decades. Other reports indicate auction sales are never higher and buyers pay record-setting prices. Of course, the health of the market depends upon the particular segment. 

The PCGS3000® Index reflects the values of 3,000 specific coins. Developed by PCGS, the index is designed to reflect the opinions of experts regarding the market value of the coins and provide a view of price movements.  The index is updated regularly to reflect changes and market trends and provide guidance for collectors.  

The Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) has been tracking coin values since 1987.  Along with their extensive price guide, they are also one of the largest coin grading companies in the world.  The NGC tracks coin prices for virtually every type of rare and collector coin. Values are completely sortable by NGC grade, including a ‘Shop Now’ eBay link for purchasing.

Another informative index to follow is the Rare Coin Values Index (RCVI). The index tracks the percentage change in 87 United States rare coins.

The values of each coin are determined from a variety of reputable price guides and reported monthly as a percentage increase or decrease.

For comparison, here is the chart for gold.

That chart isn't comletely up to date.  We've seen a drop in gold prices since.

Here is the PCGS3000 index chart for gold coins.  Remember the PCGS index is made for elite-level coins.

As you can see, the gold coin index of elite gold coins did not follow the price of gold.  They had their own distinct trends.

Here is another example.  This chart shows Morgan and Peace dollars for the same period.  Like gold coins, the dollars also showed a peak back in late eighties, but then was fairly constant after returning to more normal levels.

It isn't easy to compare coins from different classes or grades. It is a complex matter. Although there are a number of indices, I found none for Spanish colonial or shipwreck coins.

The indices can be useful, to some extent, but there are many limitations and factors to take into account. The indices might be useful, but other sources of information should also be consulted.

For Spanish shipwreck coins you can check the auction archives.  There is the matter of inflation to take into account too.

Here are some links if you want to learn more about the indices.

PCGS Price Guide - Generic Gold Coin Index

A Closer Look at Rare Coin Values and Price Indexes

And the following link to a site that provides a number of coin indexes.

PCGS Price Guide - Generic Gold Coin Index

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A 4.4 mile stretch of highway in Florida, State Road 516, will soon recharge EV vehicles as they drive down the road.

There are embedded inductive charging coils beneath the pavement that generates a magnetic field that charges compatible EVs without stopping or plugging into a charger.

Up to 200 KW for trucks and about 50 KW for passenger cars is enogh to extend the range of the vehicles.

Construction began in early 2026 and a partial opening is expected by 2027.  The cost is around $500 - $550 million total with about $14 million of that being for the charging system.

Electric roads are one of the most promising ideas to be worked on in recent times – highways equipped to charge vehicles dynamically as they move, using inductive or conductive systems embedded beneath the surface.

With trials underway in multiple countries, electric roads are now drawing global attention. But despite strong technical progress, widespread adoption remains challenging due to cost, infrastructure demands, and limited technological maturity...

Here is the link for more about electric roads.

Inside the engineering of electric roads that could transform EVs

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Not too long ago I talked a little about identifying Kang-Hsi porcelain.  

Here is another good resource.

---🧭 Quick Comparison Table

Feature	Kangxi (1662–1722)	Later Qing / Modern
Blue color	Deep, vibrant, shaded	Softer, greyer, or too uniform
Brushwork	Bold, lively	Finer or overly perfect
Porcelain body	Slightly greyish	Whiter, smoother
Foot rim	Rough, gritty	Smooth, clean
Marks	Archaic script, sometimes absent	Often apocryphal, too perfect
Enamels	Famille verte, bright	Famille rose, pastel, smoother

And here is that link.

The Chemistry of Porcelain: Understanding the Value of Hard vs. Soft Paste

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Beach Beig Extended at Fort Pierce.
From Sufguru.com beach cam.

The Beach Goes On.  They are continuing to extend it to the south.  I'm not so worried about what they are covering up here, but that sand will eventually end up way to the south and just when the beach cobs began to reappear again.  It should take a littlwhile before it washes away.  Any bets on when the next renourishment starts?

Surf Chart from Surfguru.com.

A little bump midweek, but nothing special.  That is probably over until the hurricanes start stirring.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

5/8/26 Report - A Miscellaneous Variety of Beach Finds.

 

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

Beach Found Shipwreck Wood.

I decided to show some miscellaneous finds today.  Here are three pieces of shipwreck wood found on a beach after a really rough surf day that washed up a lot of things.

All three pieces have been reddled by toredo worms.  Their tunnels and some shells remain.

The top piece is about two feet long and 9 inches wide.  It has only one broken spike piece of s spike remaining in it.  The other two spike holes are empty.

You can see the corroded heads of a spike in each of the two bottom pieces.

I think I showed one or two of these before, but I don't think all three.

Piece of Fossilized Bone.

It must have been one big bone originally.  

Here is the other side of it.

Piece of Beach Found Bone.

Below is a rock shell or fossil, or maybe all three.  I don't know how to classify it.

Mystery Object Showing Druzy.

I've talked about how calcite crystals can form when shells are mineralized, but that also can happen with bones.

Here is an example of a beach shell showing heavy crytalization.

Crystallized  Sea Shell.

And here is a bone that has crystalized.

Crystalized Bone.

I don't know what the one in the top picture is.  It could be a shell that mineralized and then embedded in stone.  I just don't know.

I can't explain the hole that runs through it either.  Maybe the shell is completely gone but the hole remains.

You can read more about the bottom two examples by using the following link.

The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 2/4/11 Report - Mexican Reales & Crystallized Shells and Fossils

Druzy refers to a layer of tiny, sparkling crystals that form on the surface of a rock or mineral. These crystals can appear as a glittery, sugar-like coating and are often found inside geodes or on the surface of other gemstones.

Druzy (also spelled druse or drusy) is sets of tiny crystals of minerals that form on the surface of another stone. These crystal intergrowths or clusters can be formed by many different minerals. The mineral species and shapes of crystals formed are dependent on fluid composition. Crystal size is a function of fluid temperature and pressure.

There are many types of druzy, because there are many types of minerals. Each type of druzy has particular characteristics, such as crystal size, luster and color.  Druzy can form from minerals like quartz, calcite, chalcedony, malachite, azurite, garnet, hematite, cobalt calcite, and uvarovite Garnet, each creating unique colors and textures.

Here is the link where you can read more about that.

What Is Druzy, and How Does It Form? – Geology In

You can find crystalized shells for sale online.  

Here is one more find for today.

Embossed Suibb Bottle.

I usually don't pick up screw top bottles unless there is something I like about the bottle.  I usually pick up cobalt blue bottle though.  This one is rather large.  You can see SQUIBB embossed on the shoulder.

Here is the bottom.

Bottom of Embossed Squibb Bottle.

It is nice when you find a patent date.  This one is embossed DESIGN PAT 87401.  

The design patent was registered July 19, 1932.  

You can look up patent dates or simply as AI, which I think is easier.

I believe this is a milk of magnesia bottle.  It is very similar to the Phillips milk of magnesia bottles  

By 1921, E.R. Squibb & Sons produces over-the-counter home remedies like bicarbonate of soda, castor oil, milk of magnesia and Epsom salts.

Here is a link for the Squibb company history.

Company history timeline - Bristol Myers Squibb

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Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

Looks like a few more days of smooth surf.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

5/7/26 Report - Calm Seas. Treasure Auction Schedule. Dreams and Hopes versus Records and Data.

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

Ocean Reef Beach Cam (Vero) Thursday Morning.

.Looks like a mid-summer day with a lazy ocean.

Fort Pierce Area Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com

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The Sedwick treasure auction goes live Thursday morning.  Here is the schedule.

Session I, beginning at 9:00 AM EDT, will feature Gold Cobs and Shipwreck Coins. Session II will begin at 6:00 PM EDT, with Silver Cobs from the mints of Mexico City, Lima, and Potosí.

Friday, May 8, 2026

Session III - World Coins - 9:00 AM EDT

Session IV - Medals & Decorations, US Coins, US & World Paper Money - 2:30 PM EDT

Session V - Ancient Coins, Coin Jewelry, Shipwreck & Non-Wreck Artifacts - 5:00 PM EDT

Saturday, May 9, 2026

Session VI - Express Session - 9:00 AM EDT

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It is one thing to follow your dreams - an admirable thing to do - but don't let your dreams cloud your vision.  Be aware of the risks and costs as well as the rewards.  

Be open minded. Learn from your experiences.  Don't be like some of the TV shows that try to make everything support their hopes. It gets ridiculous.  

It is important to collect the data., but the data will do you little good if you let your hopes distort your interpretations.  Follow the data.  Remain open to alternative interpretations.  

People sometimes have too much investment (emotional as well as other) in their beliefs.  They want to believe something so badly, they become blind to the truth. They resist changing their mind, so they don't learn.

Just because something might be true, doesn't mean it is true.  There are often other good alternative interpretations.  Beiing possible isn't the same as being probably.  Demand compelling evidence before settling on one explanation and even after that, remain open to additional evidence that might suggest something else.

If you know more, you'll have more alternatives to consider.  You'll be eager to admit to yourself and others when you don't know or aren't sure. That is a good attitude for a seeker.  

A scientific approach is largely a state of mind. Humility is extremely important.  Be as eager to prove yourself wrong as you are to prove yourself right.  It is the proven fact that is valuable.  Sometimes you need to change your mind and your approach.

Keep good records.  Use data. Question your assumptions and beliefs.  There is no benefit in trying to prove yourself right if you are wrong.

Do a lot of testing.  Sample sites.  But realize that there will still be some degree of uncertainty.  Samples are just samples.  Sometimes they are good samples and sometimes not.

I find data interesting in addition to being helpful.  I like to collect data and figure out what, if anything, it is telling me.

It is OK to just pursue a wild hunch or even a fantasy, but I think it is helpful to determine how realistic it might be.  You can bet big on a wild dream if you want, but you might want to assess how realistic it is and how to best proceed.  It is the learning process that is so much fun and valuable to me. Other people might enjoy just rolling the dice.

In order to collect useful data, you have to define your goal well.  Define what you want to accomplish and how to measure success.  You need to have defined goals and benchmarks to collect the most useful data.

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Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comocast.net.