8/22/26 Report - Higher Surf Coming as Seasons Change. No-FG Error Coin to Find in Circulation. Popularity of Metal Detecting?

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

Surf Chart for the Fort Pierce Area from SurfGuru.com.

Hooray!  I hear the train a comin, its comin round the bend...

It has been a very long summer with nothing but flat seas.  I'm so glad to see the beginning of the seasonal transition.

In the 2020s, October has been one of our better detecting months.  I'd be happy to see that again.

A six-foot surf isn't really bunker busting, but it is a welcome change from what we've had for months now.

Up north...  

Coastal flood and wind threats begin to escalate ahead of first fall nor'easter

The first nor'easter of the fall is developing, bringing gusty winds and rain to parts of the Mid-Atlantic as winds and coastal flooding increase through Wednesday. The storm is expected to emerge off the coast toward the end of the week and is expected to bring pounding surf, strong winds and severe beach erosion as the weekend progresses...  

For more about that see  Coastal flood and wind threats begin to escalate ahead of first fall nor'easter | Fox Weat

The Atlantic NHC map is only showing tropical storm Fay and one other area over by 
Africa at this time.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

At the same time the Pacific NHC map is showing a lot of activity.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

One headline announces: Pacific Ablaze as Hurricane Polo grows into a monster storm.

Here is the link for more about that.

Hurricane Polo intensifies into monster Category 5 storm, fueling Southwest flood threat | Fox Weather

This year that has been the trend - a lot going on in the Pacific while almost nothing in the Atlantic.

The bottom line is that I'm glad to see us moving into Fall weather and hope to see some nice northeasters moving into Florida before long.  2020 and 2022 Octobers produced a lot of good Treasure Coast finds.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Coinweek said the no-FG is a variety you can still find.  If you look under the left leg of the eagle on te reverse of a Kennedy half, you can check for the letters.  It is the eagle's left leg, but the one on the right as you look at it.  

You've probably found some Kennedy half dollar coins.  I've found quite a few although I seldom see them in circulation anymore.  One local store gives them in change anytime you have change coming for 50 cents or more.  Other stores look at them strangely.  One clerk refused to take one in payment.  You can still get rolls if you ask your bank.  

Of course, the first thing I always check is to see if they have any silver.  Some are 90 percent silver (1964) and some 40% silver (1965 - 1970).  The 40% silver coins are worth somewhere around $15.

I checked through a good stack of Kennedy halves but didn't find any no-FG examples.

Here are a couple links.

Kennedy Half Dollar Value: Key Dates & Rare Errors - Coins Value

No FG Kennedy Half Dollars: The Missing Initials Every Collector Should Know

Here are some general price ideas for no-FG Kennedy halves.

• Circulated condition (average wear): Around $10–$35 
  

• Uncirculated (AU50–AU58): About $40–$150

• Mint State (MS63–MS65): Roughly $200–$800

• Superb Gem (MS66+): $1,500–$3,500+

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It seems to me there are a lot more detectorists these days, but that impression might be wrong.  That impression is undoubtedly heavily influenced by social media, which seems to distort or magnify everything.  It makes it difficult to get a good measure.

These days there seems to be as many metal detecting web sites as detectorists, but that is probably because from the comfort of my armchair, I can see virtually every metal detecting YouTube video, Facebook page and forum that exists, but when I go to the beach, I only see the few detectorists that are there at the same time as me, so while it seems to me there must be many more detectorists today than there were a few decades ago, I'm not really sure how true that is.    

The international range and scope of the media provides a lot of information for anyone that is interested. Back in the day, I was aware of some of the locals and what the metal detecting magazines showed and what I read in a few books obtained from the library, but many of the top Florida detectorists in those days were very secretive.  They were there but you seldom saw or even heard about them.  They avoided being seen and didn't share their hard-earned information. They didn't want others to know their success and didn't want to encourage or assist the competition, but now it seems that what many people seek is attention and fame, and social media has made it possible for many to have a national and even international forum.  

It is difficult to compare or tell the true difference between the popularity of metal detecting now and in the past.  Things change.  Many detector companies went out of business while others seem to be thriving. You see things come and go.  You accumulate a catalog of memories and look back over them fondly.  It is good.  I guess that is one thing I like about doing these posts.  It helps me think through things so I can express them somewhat clearly as I record my experiences and observations and learn from them, and by putting them out there, hopefully others will benefit from them too.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/21/26 Report - Treasures, Pirates, Gangsters, Bandits and Other Stories. Bigger Surf Coming. Gnarly Charleys at Pepper Park.

 

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

Besides shipwreck treasures salvaged from the sea there are buried treasures that inspire the detectorists of America.  The story is a big part of any great treasure.  Great treasures are the kind of things that books and movies portray.  The are dramatic characterizations of an era.  It might be something like a buried sack of Civil War valuables, or a stagecoach shipment taken by bandits, or buried pirate loot, gangster riches.  The story accounts for the existence of the treasure in a dramatic or romantic way and give it meaning.  The story excites the imagination and motivates searchers, whether it is entirely true or embellished by imagination or error.  The hunt is for truth as well as valuables, but the whole truth can remains hidden until long after the treasure has been found.

Below are a few of those types of famous treasures that as far as we know remain hidden.  

In 1863, Mosby and his raiders captured Union soldiers, horses, and, according to the story, a large stash of valuables. As Mosby moved back toward Confederate lines, scouts warned him that Union troops had entered the area. So Mosby buried the valuables in a burlap sack between two trees. Then he marked the spot with his knife.

Here is another.  

On July 26, 1865, the Picket Corral Gang attacked a stagecoach carrying two large strongboxes. Inside sat gold, including 15 heavy gold bars, along with pouches of gold dust and nuggets.
One passenger survived the attack and identified the gang. They bandits were caught and killed but the dead men carried only about $50. So the treasure might still be out three.

And another.

Another stagecoach-gold legend says that robbers got away with about 15 gold bars and more than two pounds of gold dust. Some believe that one is buried in Portneuf Canyon, Idaho, while others believe it is farther away.

And then there is the pirate treasure buried by 16-th century Captain Thomas Cavendish thought to be buried at Palemanō Point, Hawaii. 

And of course there is John Dillinger's suitcase containing $200,000 in cash said to be buried in the Wisconsin woods before his death.

And Jesse James' loot thought to be buried in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma.  

Those are just a few to illustrate how story adds to the aura of lost treasure whether it is fact, myth, legend or any combination in various proportions.

When you make a find that is not a part of a storied treasure, it is just a find until you develop the story.  You might go on a hunt because of a story.  Your story might involve a treasure wreck on a nearby beach, various reports of finds made in the area, wind and surf action, etc. etc.  

As an individual your self-concept develops from a combination of stories.  Being a treasure hunter is one part of that. Your parents, family, friends and acquaintances provide parts of that story and validate or invalidate your own ideas of your role or the part you play in your story.  Your story continues to develop through life experiences.  

Being a treasure hunter probably means you believe the stories of treasure you hear and that it is more than fiction and that you can find treasure.  It involves your view of the world and your place in it. Of all the things you could do at any moment, you make a decision to spend a part of some part of your life seeking treasure.  The reasons for that can be various.  You think it is easy money, or it is fun, it is a challenge, or you like history.  All of that reveals a part of your story and how you see your role in the world.  A treasure hunter might see himself one way while an archaeologist might have a different view of himself.  He might have a view of himself that makes him look down upon treasure hunters as looters.  Perhaps he prefers to portray himself with a more altruistic, aloof, academic intellectual image.

I've used the word story a lot.  By story I mean the way we find meaning in the bits and pieces of our lives and the things we experience. 

Stories are constructed. They are neither complete fantasy nor complete fact.  

There are methods for testing reality.  Science prescribes methods for testing reality, but there are different approaches to science too, as well as outright fraud.  But to some extent; it results in some level of agreement.  It is interesting to note that our view of atoms as being orbiting particles, something like the solar system, has been replaced by a story of fields or waves rather than particles. Science develops new stories as new methods are used and information obtained.

As a treasure hunter, you start with some ideas and go out and test them.  If you are flexible and adaptable, you will benefit from your experiences and modify your ideas when they don't prove out.  I highly recommend doing a lot testing.  Test your ideas.  Test your detector.  Test your techniques. If they are no proving out, change.

As much as I've written in this blog, I put it all out there for your consideration.  Test it and prove it for yourself.  

Some ways of interpreting reality are useful and effective while others are not.  Some people see themselves as lucky, and others do not.  It makes a difference.  

But my main point today is that a big part of the value of a treasure is the story.  You can see that in auction results.  Items that have a proven provenance go for more.  Proven links to a famous shipwreck or fleet, adds to the value of a coin.  But the story itself is valuable.  You know that if you set out to find something like a shipwreck coin or any other storied treasure.

When you make an isolated find that you can't identify or date, you want to know its story.  Then you do more research.  Something is missing.  You want to learn it's story.

 Besides the story of the treasure, you are creating your own story.  Maybe it is a story you share online or maybe it is a story you will tell your friends or children.  In any case, it is part of your story.  It is part of who you are.  Keep becoming.

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surfgur

---

Source:nhc.noaa.gov.

Tropical storm Fay is out there, but won't affect us.

But look at this.

Surf Chart for the Fort Pierce Inlet Area from Surfguru.com.

I love that.  It is the first good sign of us finally breaking out of the boring summer beach conditions.  I hope it is at least that good.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/18/26 Report - A Kind of Treasure Called Floating Gold. A Treasure Coast Find for Verification. Torpedo Found off Fort Pierce Beach.

 

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

Ambergris(?)
Found by Mark G. on the Treasure Coast.

Mark G. might have found something more valuable than gold on a Treasure Coast beach.  You can see it above.  

Here is what he told me. 

... I was in the surf line huge waves and the beach was littered and I mean littered I have not seen so much plastic washed up in one day in my life trash everywhere. Then I saw a couple ahead of me throw something down that looked like a funny looking rock not coral. I eyed and picked it up myself and it was weird. I put it in the pouch and moved on. 

After close examination it is not a rock, it's Ambergris. Still working details on how to confirm.

Smart move by Mark to recognize and keep it.

I've written in the past about Ambergris and maybe about a Treasure Coast find or two.

In case you didn't know, ambergris is a solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish color produced in the digestive system of sperm whales. Ambergris is highly valued by perfume makers.

I thought about where you might get it verified.  Here are some thoughts.

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce. They have marine mammal researchers but it might require sending for chemical analysis.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Marine Mammal Pathology lab in Melbourne has biologists that might be able to do it.

Florida Atlantic University Marine Mammal Lab.

I just read that possessing ambergris in the United States might be illegal because it comes from the Sperm Whale, which is a protected species.  See How to Find an Ambergris Buyer and Sell it?

I suppose it is something like ivory or sea turtle parts.  Ivory is illegal in some cases but in other cases not.  Sea turtle fossils are ok but possessing sea turtle shells or other parts could get you in trouble.

Also see

Woman finds ambergris on Florida beach. The whale poop could be worth a small fortune

I often say there is always some place to hunt and something to find.  Be flexible and adjust.  Be familiar with a large variety of types of treasure.  Ambergris, sometimes called "floating gold," is one of the more unusual types you might find and would often be missed.

When you don't have eroding beaches and it isn't great for metal detecting for old shipwreck treasures, you can find other kinds of things.  This summer conditions have been good for low density items, but that means that less dense items will be more available.  Those kinds of things would be swept off an eroding beach.  

I've found a variety of interesting things that float.  One of my all-time favorite finds was a wax seal, and by that I mean the actual wax with an impression on it.  It evidently was on an important document.  It has an impression of an eagle on it.  Unfortunately, the seal impression isn't really very clear and I've never been able to take a very good photo of it.  See The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast. Copyright 2001 - 2026.: 2/3/16 Report - One Of The Most Remarkable Beach Finds That I Could Ever Imagine.  

It is a favorite of mine because it is something that I would never expect to find.  It seems so improbable to me that something like that would last for hundreds or years and be found on a beach.  I don't know where it had been hiding before being discovered mostly intact.  As often happens with unusual finds, I didn't know what it was for a while.  I had to take it home and clean it up a little, which was difficult enough.  I didn't know what it was made of at first.  Anyhow, to me it was an amazing discovery.

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A diver’s search for lobster off Fort Pierce beach last month led to the discovery of a suspected World War II-era torpedo, prompting a controlled detonation by the U.S. Navy...

"I couldn't really make out what it was, but I just knew it wasn't a reef, and I was kind of inspecting it, looking at it," Neiman said. "I'm like, this just looks different, you know, and then before I knew it, I'm like, this is a torpedo, because I could make out the end of it and it had a cone nose."

Neiman returned to the boat, told his father to mark the spot, and contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The FWC then alerted the U.S. Coast Guard, the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office bomb squad, and the U.S. Navy.

On Tuesday afternoon, Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel conducted a controlled underwater detonation at the site...Here is the link for more about that.

'Really blew my mind': Diver finds suspected WWII torpedo off Fort Pierce beach

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Source: Surfguru.com.

The wind was out of the west today and the surf was decreasing.  

We've been getting a good bit of rain and a little cooling.  It's been a nice change but watch out for the lightning.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/17/26 Report - Metal Detector Gets Capital Punishment and Detectorist Sentenced and Fined After Finding Important Hoard. Birds and Coins.

 

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

A cache of Iron Age gold coins found by a detectorist was acquired and will go on display at the Museum of Chelmsford. It is the largest Iron Age gold hoard ever recorded. The hoard could have been intended as a tribute payment to Julius Caesar.

The detectorist, a groundworker by trade, was convicted under the 1996 Treasure Act for keeping 23 of the 933 Iron Age gold Staters.

The detectorist, also described as a birdwatcher in one article, saw a feather fall from a buzzard and then saw a glint of gold and the ground where the feather landed. It doesn't seem he was an avid detectorist. He also liked fossils.

After finding the first coin, he then got his metal detector and found the rest of the coins.

 

Considering the state of journalism these days, if you read more than one report or article, you end up wondering what really happened. You just can't expect accuracy or clarity end up doing more research and trying to sift through it all.

But here is where he got into trouble. He turned 933 coins over to the landowner and kept 22 Staters and a quarter Stater having a worth of somewhere around 10,000 to 13,000 British pounds.

He admitted the theft of the Staters and failing to notify the coroner of the find as required by the Treasure Act of 1996

In court, Shane Wood admitted the theft of 22 Staters and a quarter Stater, and failing to notify the coroner.

Under the Portable Antiquities Scheme...

• No search can begin until permission has been given by the landowner
• All finds belong to the landowner
• Any find in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that is more than 300 years old, made of gold or silver, or found with gold or silver artefacts, could be treasure under the 1996 Treasure Act
• These must be reported to the appropriate county finds liaison officer

Wood didn't have permission to metal detect on the land and didn't notify the coroner directly.  It seems he told someone else who had a right to be on the land who then told the landowner and then the coroner learned of the find.  

According to a Yahoo News article, Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court sentenced Wood to an 18 month community order involving 200 hours of unpaid work, consifscation adn destruction of his metal detector and a 200 BP court fee.  Source: Court orders man’s metal detector destroyed after coins kept as ‘memento’ - Yahoo News UK

The bottom line is that the fellow found an extremely important hoard, the land owner was rewarded and the hoard was studied and ended up in a museum.  Overall, I'd say that is pretty good.

The courts didn't penalize him as severely as they might have.  It seems they gave him some slack because he wasn't an avid detectorist and perhaps could be excused to some extent for not being totally familiar with the details of the law (although they say that is no excuse) and he did report the find, though not to the letter of the law,  I think the landowner should have been happy getting rewarded for nothing beyond being fortunate enough being luck enough to own the land where the cache was buried.  I can certainly understand a fellow wanting to have some memento of a great find, but it really cost him for not knowing and acting in accordance with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.  It is wise to know the law.

I don't see the fellow as much of a bad actor.  Perhaps uninformed. 

He did report the find - though not correctly.  He didn't attempt to totally hide or steal the entire find.  And I could see how he might think reporting it to someone who would tell the landowner would be sufficient, especially since the vast majority of the cache was handed over.  

Interesting that the metal detector got capital punishment.  Not only was it confiscated, but also destroyed.  That seems funny to me.  It evidently worked to some extent.  It could have been flipped and put to work for the good guys or sold for the public benefit.  I can see destroying drugs but burning a metal detector at the stake (or however they did it)?

It is true that if you are out there looking around, you might find something, and maybe something better than anything you expected to find.  Even when metal detecting, I can't tell you how many times when I found something other than what I was hunting.  That is one reason you should get a GOOD detailed description of any reported lost item.

I read that one or more of the coins were found in his girlfriend's jewelry box.  I also think I read somewhere that she might have found some of the coins and was also fined.  I'm not sure of that though.  I'd have to go back and read it all again.

Anyway, its a real good story.

One other thing, the story reminded me of the British TV series, Detectorists.  If you haven't watched it, you should.  I really enjoyed it.  I commented on it before.  See Treasure Beaches Report: Pt. 2. (2020 and Beyond). : 12/30/21 Report - Phenomenology of Metal Detecting Study. What Kind of Sites Detectorists Like Most. Detectorists TV Sitcom.

In the final episode of that program, it’s revealed that magpies have been stealing shiny Roman gold coins from an old hoard and depositing them high in the branches of a tree overlooking field. When the detectorists finish their search empty‑handed — and at peace with it — the magpies drop the coins to the ground.

Here is another link for more of that story.

Largest Iron Age gold coin hoard acquired by Chelmsford museum

I know some of you have found coins in Britain and I'd like to hear your experiences (if any) with the PAS.

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A few days ago, I commented on how frequently birds are portrayed on coins.  For the U.S., the eagle is very common.

Several myth traditions explicitly link birds with gold, treasure or coins, though the connection is usually symbolic rather than literal. The strongest examples come from Greek, Roman and Chinese mythic symbolism on coins, where birds act as guardians, messengers, or omens of wealth.

The most direct mythic pairing is the owl of Athena, which appears on ancient Greek silver tetradrachms and symbolically represents wisdom, prosperity, and protection of civic wealth. Other birds — eagles, phoenixes, peacocks, and even chickens — appear on coins because they were mythic symbols of gods associated with power, fortune, or auspicious omens.

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Windyty.com
Mid Day Thursday.

We still have that disorganized area of rain in the Atlantic, with little to no sign of strengthening.

Surf Chart from Surfguru.com.

Thursday we'll have up to a four-foot surf.  The high tides are still running over three feet, and we have a north to south current.  That is all pretty good, but there is a lot of sand to overcome after a seemingly endless summer.

It was nice to see some surfers out Wednesday and some waves on the intercoastal.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/16/26 Report - A Note of Appreciation from the Author.

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

Source: Nhc.noaa.gov

That disorganized bit of weather probably won't develop much, but we are getting a little more of a breeze.

The high tides are still running over three feet.

Source: Surf Chart for Fort Pierce Area from Surfguru.com.

At least the surf will be a little higher, and combined with the higher tides you might see some beach front sand movement.

There is a rip current warning for the area today.   I've written about rip currents before.  

Here is a site that tells you how to handle them.

How to Get out of a Rip Current: A Survival Guide

===

I've had some problems with this blog.  For one thing, the large number of posts I've done over the years, makes it very difficult when you want to find something particular from years ago.  The posts go back almost twenty years even though some of the original posts got deleted long ago.  

If you want to find an old post or a specific topic, you can use the search box that you'll find on the blog main display, but the search isn't always successful.  I get frustrated at times knowing that I posted something many years ago but can't find it again when I want to.  

The blog format isn't the greatest for finding old posts even though it does have the search capability.  Part of the difficulty might be due to the search system that requires a specific match on the terms used in the search.  If you don't get it exactly right, it can cause a miss.

Besides the difficulty of locating particular items or old posts, the sheer number of posts causes another problem - excellent posts quickly get buried by newer posts and sometimes don't get the exposure they deserve.  As you know, I've posted almost every day for years.  I sometimes wish a post I like a lot would stay at the top of the list for a while, but every time I do a new post, the older posts get buried.  My partial solution referring to those posts and providing a link back every once in a while.  That works to some extent, I guess, but I'm not totally happy with it.

I've been thinking about doing something different but am not sure what yet, but the blog format has several advantages too.  

I was thinking about quitting the blog altogether a couple weeks ago, but then I got the urge to post some things, and so I continued doing it.

I very much enjoy the people I have come to know through this blog even if I have never seen them in person.  I enjoy when people share their experiences, thoughts and feelings.  I'm sure you like to see their work and accomplishments too.  

The millions of views that show up in the blog counter tells me a lot, but I get to really know and care about readers when I read their own words.  

Some people that I never met have gone out of their way to help me, and I really appreciate that. Some are experts and others are relative beginners, but many contribute in their own way. Experts in various fields have helped a lot.  Fred Dengler (now deceased) is a fine example. He was a fossil expert that helped me a lot when I first started finding fossils.  Even though I never met him, I always remember when he told me, "I am here for you."  And he was   He helped me learn to identify my fossil finds and that added to my posts. I was really impressed and appreciated his kindness. Many others have been similarly helpful - too many to mention right now.

I never ask for anything from my readers. I don't ask you to subscribe, like or comment.  I don't even ask you to read my posts.  I don't ask for subscriptions, clicks or anything, but people have been very kind and helpful.  Back in the beginning some people even offered donations, which I declined.  I had a commercial opportunities, which I also declined.  I enjoyed consulting for a TV program and receiving requests to participate in others.  And despite the fact that I never advertise or promote the blog has received millions and millions of views.  The numbers, as well as the personal notes and contacts, have encouraged me to keep going.  

Someday the blog will come to an end.  It has already gone on way longer than I ever imagined it would. In fact, I was surprised when it became popular beyond my expectations.  I didn't know anybody would find it.  Some readers have been with the blog nearly twenty years now.  I know of too many readers and contributors that have passed. 

The success of the blog was a surprise to me.  I never imagined.  

I might be making some small changes, but probably nothing very dramatic.  Who knows what will happen?

But one thing I know is that I'm grateful for all the fine people I got to know in one way or anther.  I appreciate them all and want to say thanks to all readers and especailly to all those that have contributed in one way or another over the years.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/15/26 Report - Detectorists Mistakes Old Rare Coin for Button. 16th Century Wreck. New Technology. Slightly Higher Surf.

 

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

Source: Arkeonews.net.

On March 7, 1533, a Portuguese three-masted carrack (also known as a Nau) called the Bom Jesus, or “Good Jesus,” sailed down the Tagus River, wound its way through Lisbon, and slipped out into the Atlantic on its 15-month journey to gather spices from faraway lands. Some 300 souls were aboard, including sailors, soldiers, enslaved people, merchants, priests, and the captain, Dom Francisco de Noronha...

After nearly 500 years, the ship faded from memory. But then in 2008, a company geologist at a diamond-mining venture called Namdeb, which is jointly owned by De Beers and the Namibian government, came across a strange, roughly circular rock in the sand.

As it turned out, this wasn’t a rock at all, but rather a copper ingot bearing the insignia of a trident, a known mark of Anton Fugger—one of Europe’s wealthiest merchants...

Among the over 40 tons of cargo retrieved from the excavation site, thousands of different artifacts were recovered and cataloged, including cannons, firearms, swords, lead, tin, textiles, and astronomical devices.[1] However, the most bountiful discoveries of the shipwreck were the collection of 1,845 copper ingots weighing approximately 16-17 tons, over 2,000 gold and silver coins from multiple contemporary maritime powers, and 105 different elephant tusks weighing close to 2 tons...

Here is a link.

A geologist kicked a rock—or so he thought. It led him to one of the world’s richest shipwrecks.

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The front of the coin showing a cross-over-cross motif.

(Image credit: H. Hollund, Archaeological Museum, UIS.

A metal detectorist in Norway dismissed a rare 900-year-old silver coin as a button, before researchers realized it was a one-of-a-kind piece linked to Magnus Barefoot (also known as Magnus Berrføtt), the warrior ruler often called Norway's last Viking king.

The coin, found in a field near Utstein Monastery in southwest Norway, dates to Barefoot's reign from 1093 to 1103. It is the first coin of its type ever discovered on Norwegian soil....

Here is the link for more about that.

Dirty 'button' unearthed by metal detectorist turns out to be a rare 900-year-old coin from Norway's last Viking king, Magnus Barefoot | Live Science

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An archaeological excavation is a little like eating a layered cake: Once you have removed a layer, you cannot put it back. The problem becomes even trickier if two layers look almost exactly the same. Researchers from Aarhus University and Moesgaard Museum in Denmark have now developed a relatively inexpensive multispectral imaging system that gives archaeologists more ways of looking at the soil before they dig into it...

Here is the link for more about that.

LED lets archaeologists see the past in a new light | EurekAlert!

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Source: Surfguru.com.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/13/26 Report - Nice High Tides Today. Metal Detecting from Sea to Shining Sea. What Happened to Mercurochrome.

 

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

Small Treasure Coast Bottle Find.

This small embossed HYNSON, WESTCOTT and DUNNING bottle once held mercurochrome, an antiseptic commonly used in the 20th century.  My wife and I remember it well.  It was a household staple in the first half of the 20th Century.

The bottle would have a glass stopper/applicator, which is not with this bottle.  Mercurochrome, an orange liquid, was applied to cuts with the applicator.

I wondered what happened to mercurochrome and just found out that the FDA banned over the counter mercurochrome in 1998.  I bet a lot of you remember it too.

I posted some about the bottle in tgbottlebarn.blogspot.com shortly after finding the bottle.  See TreasureGuide's Bottle Barn: HYBSON, WESTCOTT AND DUNNING small embossed bottle for mercurochrome.

For more about Mercurochrome and its past, here is another link.

What happened to Mercurochrome? - The Straight Dope

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If you've been looking for ideal beach metal detecting conditions and you are on the Treasure Coast, this year has been far from ideal.  On the other side of the U.S., however, you'll find a different story.mn

While the Treasure Coast surf hasn't shown us much more than a ripple this summer, the California coast has seen a lot of storms, rough seas and a lot of beach erosion.

There was a strong El Niño this year.  In fact, the El Nino this year is one of the strongest on record.  A strong El Nino produces more hurricanes in the Pacific (especially the Eastern and Central basins) and fewer in the Atlantic.  La Niña does the opposite.

El Nino happens when the surface waters of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become warmer than usual.  That weakens the normal trade winds and shifts weather patterns. La Nina is the opposite.  The Pacific waters become cooler than usual.

The Ocean Way festival in Santa Monica was cancelled this year to due massive erosion because of hurricane Marie.  

Hurricane Marie as Seen on Windyty.com.

You can see the north winds along the California coast in the above Windyty,com map.  

Houses Being Destroyed by High Water.
Still clip from KTLA News video.

Recognize the beach below?

That is the beach shown at the beginning of Two and a Half Men. It is Malibu Beach, but it is not where the program is actually filmed. The program was filmed on the studio lot at Burbank, which explains why you never see the ocean from the house.  

Whenever I see the shot of the beach at the beginning of the program, I find myself scanning the beach as a matter of habit.

Here are a few related links.  

Coastal erosion forces cancellation of California music festival

California Beaches Damaged By Hurricane Marie: 2026 Beach Erosion - California Backroads

Two and a Half Men beach house location. Where is Charlie's home?

You can see the sea wall in front of the houses and you see how vulnerable the beach is.  Like the Treasure Coast, many California beaches have been renourished and extended well beyond their natural size. 

Santa Monica is nearer to Los Angeles while Santa Cruz is nearer San Francisco

I mention Santa Cruz for a few reasons. First is the mission. The Mission of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a Spanish mission founded August 28, 1791 by Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen.

Santa Cruz is a great area to visit.  East of Santa Cruz is the Roaring Camp railroad where you can take a restored steam engine train from the Redwood forest and the Santa Cruz Mountains to the beach of Santa Cruz.  The surrounding area has some beautiful scenery and I really enjoy the steam train and reconstructed buildings.  

Yosemite is not real far either from there either, and that is one of the most beautiful areas in the U.S. in my opinion.  I think everyone should visit Yosemite at some time if they can.

Train from Roaring Camp Through the Forest.

But the main reason I'm talking about California today is because of the similarities and differences with Florida's beaches.  Even though they are on the California side the same general principles of beach dynamics apply.  Of course California has a much longer coastline than the Treasure Coast and changes a lot as you go from Malibu in the south to the more norther parts.  The north of California has high rocky bluffs behind the beach, while the southern California beaches are more like those of Florida.  No matter which coast of the United States you are on, you should be able to walk onto the beach and have a pretty good idea about the beach metal detecting conditions.  In some cases, you have to reverse things.  

And don't forget, California’s coast has numerous Spanish shipwrecks, many from the Manila Galleon trade, carrying gold, silver, and valuable goods from the 16th to 18th centuries.  It is always fun to metal detect new areas and new beaches.

I didn't mean this to sound like a travel column.  I just get fascinated by different beaches and the different kinds of areas where you can metal detect.  No matter where you are, you can find some fun metal detecting not too far away.  Much of the same knowledge applies no matter where you go.

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Source: nhc.noaa.gov.

This one could organize some time in the near future.

And finally we have a wrinkle in the surf chart.

The high tides today (Sunday) are predicted to be 3.5 feet.  That is pretty good.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net