Search This Blog

Friday, May 1, 2026

5/1/26 Report - Detectorists Finds Hoard. Hemingwray Site. Cross Found in Renourishment Sand. ASK. Ride Captain Ride.

 

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




... After the first day, when archaeologists also joined the coin search, the number rose to 70.

It's unlikely we'll exceed 500, Smiseth thought.

But with each passing day, the coin discovery kept breaking more records.

This week, they passed 3,000 coins. That makes the find, referred to as the Mørstad Hoard after the farm where it was discovered, the largest Viking Age coin treasure ever discovered in Norway.

And the detectors are still beeping....

Here is the link for the rest of that story.

Have found Norway's largest Viking hoard with 3,000 silver coins: 'Truly exceptional'

---


You might have found some nice old insulators.  I have, and I've shown some of them before, but I just found a great Hemingray site.  It has everything you might want to know about Hemingwray insulators.  

Most that you'll find are common an not worth much but some sell for very goo prices.  You can see that on this web site.  It has a database, many articles and much more.

Here is the link.

Hemingray.info - Hemingray Glass Insulator Database & More!

---

Photo by Greg B.

Above is a cross recently discovered in renourishment sand at Jupiter.  It needs a cleaning and further investigation.  I advised the finder on how I'd proceed.

---

Sometimes I use the term "metal detecting" and other times I use "treasure hunting."  I doubt there is any precise difference you can find in a dictionary but I use the terms selectively.  For me, metal detecting is using a metal detector to find metal targets, but I say treasure hunting for hunting other kinds of treasures like gems, fossils bottles or things like that, but only when the targets are fairly significant and I used treasure hunting to describe larger treasures that involve a lot of other activities such as heavy research, using a magnetometer, etc.  So I use treasure hunting for bigger treasures such as shipwrecks or hoards that involve a lot more than swinging a metal detector at a beach or field.  It isn't a precise definition, but those are the kins of things that tend to influence my choice of words.

Metal detecting can range from an occasional recreational activity to a primary professional activity or any place in between.  I never tried to make a living by metal detecting but I did take a little time off just to see if I could.  I found that I could, but I didn't want to.  For one thing, my jobs usually allowed a good bit of time and supported my hobby activities in several ways.  When I did university teaching, I had time to metal detect not only during weekends, but semester breaks etc., and when consulting I was usually able to work according to my own schedule and did a lot of business table that allowed me to metal detect different locations, so that was great. 

It was my consulting that eventually got me in metal detecting after moving to South Florida when I was developing computer simulation pilot training programs for Eastern Airlines. The South Florida beaches were great for learning about metal detecting.  The busy beaches offered many targets and a lot of high-value targets, including some nice older sites.  Pattern identification is easier when you have more points and pattern identification is what you learn.

Like my move to South Florida that originally had nothing to do with metal detecting, it was a factor in getting me into metal detecting.  It seems that an individual's life is determined to a large extent by a combination of chance, intention and effort.  Sometimes it is difficult to separate and identify the different causes in the chain of events, but one thing I've noticed is that great effort almost always is required for great success.  It doesn't matter the field.  It can be music, sports, and it is certainly true with metal detecting.  There is an element of luck: on rare occasion huge luck, but effort is a more consistent and usually much bigger factor.

There are individual variables.  Personality and individual characteristics play a role in how you go about things and even the amount of effort you are willing to give.  

You might recall my formula for metal detecting success.  I developed it over the years and time on task is one of the biggest factors.

Here is a link to more discussion on that.

Treasure Beaches Report: Pt. 2. (2020 and Beyond). : Search results for metal detecting formula

Treasure Beaches Report: Pt. 2. (2020 and Beyond). : 6/3/25 Report - Observations on Another Photo of a Group of Metal Detecting Finds. Luck and the Metal Detecting Success Formula.

Seek and you will find (Matthew 7:7)

------

Feeding the conveyor belt.

Fort Pierce South Beach Friday Morning 

Calm surf and sandy beach.


Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

Nothing special here.

This Saturday will be the Kentucky Derby.  Brings back memories of when I was at the University of Louisville.  I just finished my Master's degree and was walking back to campus from the Downs on one of those perfect blue-sky days when I heard somewhere, probably the student union, Ride Captian Ride, which froze that time in my memory for decades.  At that time I had no idea where I was going on my life voyage.

As Copilot says...


Very fitting message.


Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Thursday, April 30, 2026

4/30/26 Report - Stolen 1715 Fleet Coin Recovered at Show. Atlantic Currents Changing(?). Violent Women. US Mint Gold Sourcing.

 

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




Stolen 1715 Fleet Gold Coin Recovered at CSNS Show

Coordinated efforts by five dealers and a specialist collector at the recent Central States Numismatic Society (www.CSNS.org) convention near Chicago led to the recovery of a stolen sunken treasure gold coin and the arrests of two suspects who reportedly offered the coin for sale at the show on April 24, 2026...

The chain of events at the convention started when the suspects tried to sell the gold coin, according to dealer Tony Gryckiewicz...

the actual owner of the coin was on the phone with Schaumburg Police to file a theft report. Once that was completed, police approached the suspects, asked how they obtained the coin, then arrested them and obtained a statement from Gryckiewicz.


Here is the link for the full story.

Stolen Sunken Treasure Gold Coin Recovered at CSNS Show

---



Scientists have been closely watching the Atlantic Meridonal Overturning Circulation for years. In April, two studies noted the critical current is in danger of weakening or even collapsing due to climate change, which could impact the climate and weather for hundreds of millions of people...

Here is the link for more about that.

Infamous disaster scenario can rapidly unfold, study finds

The AMOC contributed to the popularity of the metal detecting hobby on the Treasure Coast.

The early shipping and Atlantic currents were closely linked, with the latter influencing the routes and strategies of maritime exploration. The Atlantic winds and currents, particularly the westerlies and trade winds, were crucial for navigation and trade. These currents allowed sailors to traverse the Atlantic Ocean more efficiently, facilitating exploration and establishing trade routes. The understanding of these currents was a significant factor in the Age of Discovery, as it enabled European explorers to reach new territories and establish colonies. (Wikipedia)

It seems everything in the world is connected if you manage to find the connection.

---



Scientists discovered 4,000-year-old burials of women—and the weapons they wielded.


The article says the following is what you'll learn when you read this story.

A new study analyzes the contents and remains found in 57 Bronze Age underground tombs, known as hypogea, in modern-day Portugal.

Surprisingly, women were adorned with more grave goods than men, and they were also buried with weapons.

This find adds to growing evidence that women warriors existed in many times and places in different cultures.


That might seem like a handy summary, but it might contribute to laziness and prevent readers from actually analyzing and concluding for themselves.  There is a good possibility that I might actually have other thoughts and conclusions that might be very different, but if I'm a lazy thinker, I might just fall in line and accept what they are telling me without any effort at all.

Here is the link if you want to read the entire article for yourself.

Scientists discovered 4,000-year-old burials of women—and the weapons they wielded

---


The article seems to suggest that buyers believed that American gold coins were minted only from newly mined American gold.  I don't think that most coin buyers ever gave a thought to where the gold came from, but I might be wrong about that.

Here is the link for the entire article.

The U.S. Mint Supply Chain Faces Scrutiny - Numismatic News

---

The blog has been getting thousands of viewers daily and Part II is about to pass the next million mark.


The surf chart is showing a two - three - foot surf for most of the week.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net


Wednesday, April 29, 2026

4/29/26 Report - Amazing Gold Belt Treasure. Treasure Coast Beach Most Expensive in FL. Milk Glass Container. Clovis Crystal Points.

 

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


Sections of an Elaborate Gold Belt
(Lot 1595 in Current Sedwick Auction)

I talked about a similar intricate gold belt something like two or three days ago.  I also talked about some of the standouts of the current Sedwick auction.  This belt could well bring the highest price of all the auction lots.  The auction estimate is $75,000 - $150,000 and the current bid is already $60,000.

Here is more about the find.

Six-link section of an exceptionally ornate gold belt, 106.72 grams total, fineness 21K, ex-Maravillas (1656), ex-Barfield, Marx Plate, Weller Plate. 9½" long. This fabulous artifact consists of six diamond-shaped links in ornate scrollwork of marvelously fine craftsmanship in high-karat gold (XRF tested at 21K), no doubt rather valuable even in its own time, in as-found condition coated here and there with light white coral, a significant showpiece that surely once belonged to Spanish royalty.

These six links are part of a long belt that was found in sections, starting with five links recovered during Bob Marx's work on the Maravillas in the summer of 1974 by diver Dick Anderson, who wrote about it (among other things) in his article "More Treasure from the World's Richest Wreck" in Argosy Magazine's 1976 Treasure Hunting Annual, which opens with a picture of him holding the five links (big smile, of course), a photo that was reproduced in Marx's 1979 book Diving for Adventure. In 1976, Anderson thought it was a bracelet, but examination of portraits of 17th Spanish royalty revealed that the links were just a section of a long belt, which Marx acknowledged in 1979. Marx's 1982 book Quest for Treasure shows a picture of that chain of five links too, with a comment that they did not find the entire belt, just those five links. Eventually, though, twenty-eight more links were found on the wreck, thus completing a thirty-three-link belt, as pictured in Marx's 1998 book Deep, Deeper, Deepest, captioned as "recovered by Marx." Each link is connected to the next by means of two easily removable stud-links with matching design, so that anyone could modify the length as needed. This six-link segment originates from a larger group of sixteen acquired by Bob "Frogfoot" Weller and later incorporated into a private collection.

It speaks to the importance of this artifact that various forms of the whole belt are pictured in at least four of Bob Marx's books (and one of Weller's). We encourage potential bidders to consider the stature of this piece as a sort of "Queens Jewels" like what you see in Royal museums around the world; we are all extremely fortunate to have the chance to own such a thing today. From the Maravillas (1656), pedigreed to the Barfield Collection, plated on page 39 of Bob Marx's book Diving for Adventure (1979), page 236 of his book Quest for Treasure (1982), photo-plate opposite page 27 of his book Sunken Treasure: How to Find It, page 322 of his book Deep, Deeper, Deepest (1998), and page 160 of Bob "Frogfoot" Weller's book Galleon Alley (2001), with photo-certificates, accompanied by a copy of Argosy Magazine's 1976 Treasure Hunting Annual containing Dick Anderson's article.

Mother's Day is coming up if you haven't already picked out a present.

---

---

2 Views of Found Milk Glass Container.

There is embossing on the bottom, but the white on white didn't show up in the photo.  On the bottom in big block letters it reads ROYAL LUNCHEON CHEESE.

Yesterday I showed another milk glass find and mentioned that milk glass was common but not limited to the 1920 - 1940 period.  While most of my milk glass finds have been cosmetics containers, this is one of the very few and perhaps only milk glass food container jar that I've found.  This jar dates to the early 1900s.

A little research revealed the following about the cheese, which was marketed by the Horton-Cato Mfg. Co. of Detroit.

Horton-Cato Manufacturing Company was a Detroit-based producer of condiments and dressings, best known for its “Royal” brand of salad dressings and sauces.  The company operated in the early 20th century, with evidence of production dating back to at least the 1880s, as indicated by a patent date of April 25, 1882 on a Royal Salad Dressing. The trademark for “Royal” was officially filed on August 26, 1914, suggesting the company was already established and marketing its products before that date.

---


... The second hypothesis hinged on the translucency, triboluminescence (sparking when struck), crystalline shape, and rarity of the material, which may have had symbolic or ritual significance.

"There are a number of historical and ethnographic studies that indicate quartz crystals in different regions were considered to be imbued with special properties," explained Dr. Buchanan. "In these societies, quartz crystals have been used for curing, spreading illnesses, or were considered to be powerful living objects.

"For example, among Californian Yuman peoples, quartz crystals (wii'ipay) are one of the most powerful objects in the supernatural universe. Usually left to shamans to use or try to control for both good and bad purposes, including divining the future, reading minds, and providing luck in gambling; however, a crystal can also kill the shaman that possesses it."...

Here is the link for more about that.

Why did Clovis toolmakers choose difficult quartz crystal? New study offers clues

---

Surf Chart from Surfguru.com.

No big changes in beach conditions expected soon.


More on the recently found 17th century cross ccoming soon.


Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net


Tuesday, April 28, 2026

4/28/26 Report - Error Coins. Milk Glass Finds and Dates. Shipwreck Polen Trackers. Primitive Attraction of Treasure.


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


Lot 1426 of Current Sedwick Auction.


Lot 1429 of Current Sedwick Auction.


Yesterday I looked at a very fine 1715 Fleet escudo and eight-real from the Whydah that are available in the current Seddwick auction. There are tons of other treasures in the auction.  There are really a lot of cob reales, for example, but there are also other things such as U.S. coins.  There were a good number of Morgan dollars, but also curiosities such as the error Eisenhower dollar coins, including those shown above.  I know one person who found a similarly offset U.S. Lincoln cent.  I don't know how something like that gets into circulation, but it evidently happened.  Most error coins that you an find are not that obvious.  Still, you can find error coins in circulation or even possibly in the coins you pick up while metal detecting.

The top coin has a missing layer.

---

Found Milk Glass Jar. 

If you find any old bottles, there is a good chance you've found some milk glass. I like milk glass but milk glass containers.  They were produced and used much earlier, but they were heavily used in the 1920 - 1940 date range.   Most of those that I've found on the Treasure Coast were used for cosmetics, but I've also found some that were used for food products.  The one above is a Watkins cold cream jar.


Watkins Jar with Paper Label and Metal Cap.

The J. R. Watkins company was formed in the 1800s but is still in business today.  They also packaged products in regular glass bottles, such as the one below that I found on the Treasure Coast.


J. R. Watckins Bottle
See TreasureGuide's Bottle Barn: J. R. Watkins Bottle.

The J. R. Watkins Co. started using screw top bottle in the 1920s.

As I've said before, I like small milk glass containers made cleaning coins and things.  The pure white color makes it easy to see any particles coming off the item and the rouge containers have a sloped bottom that makes it easy to slide coins in and out of the container.


From Copilot...

Milk glass — opaque or translucent white glass — has been used for cosmetic containers since at least the late 19th century, with the most common period of use for beauty products falling in the 1920s through the 1940s Etsy.

Historical context

  • Origins: Milk glass itself dates back to the 16th century in Venice as lattimo, a translucent alternative to porcelain Wikipedia. In the U.S., opaque milk glass production began in the 1850s, with companies like Boston & Sandwich Glass making it for lamps, tableware, and decorative items GLASS BOTTLE MARKS.

  • Victorian and Edwardian eras: Makeup was more restricted, but creams and lotions were still stored in glass jars, often in porcelain or earthenware, as described in 19th-century beauty recipe books Beachcombing Magazine.

  • Early 20th century: As cosmetics became more widely available, glass containers — including milk glass — were popular for creams, lotions, and perfumes. The 1920s–1940s saw a surge in milk glass cosmetic jars, often embossed with brand names like Arden or UGB.


It is important to note here that while milk glass became popular in the 20s, it was made and used much earlier so don't automatically assume that any piece you find is 20th century.  It might not be.  It is common to overgeneralize about things and I know I've made mistakes by quickly jumping to conclusions based upon the common case or what I expected. 

---


Roman shipwreck reveals fascinating history of repairs throughout the Adriatic 2,200 years ago

Researchers analyzing pollen trapped in the waterproofing layers of long sunken Roman Republic ship find proof that it may have been patched up successively at different locations throughout the Adriatic Sea...

Here is the link for more about that.

Roman shipwreck reveals fascinating history of repairs throughout the Adriatic 2,200 years ago | EurekAlert! 

---

What makes something treasure?  It seems that it can at times be the qualities of the material that have always attracted humans, such as the soft bright glow of gold or the transparent reflections of crystals that invite deeper inspection.

... people have always been slightly obsessed with crystals, and it turns out that chimpanzees are no different. Observing our simian cousins go absolutely bananas over these shiny minerals, researchers believe they may now be able to explain the magpie-like behaviors of prehistoric humans who lived around 800,000 years ago...

Other similar finds from 500,000 years ago have since been unearthed in South Africa, while six quartz prisms from India were stockpiled by one of our ancestors around 300,000 years ago. Importantly, none of these items display signs of having been modified, which means they weren’t used as weapons, tools, or personal adornments – all of which leaves a massive, glimmering question mark hanging over their function...

Here is the link for more about that.

Humans have been fascinated with crystals for 800,000 years – we may now know why

---

Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

We'll have a slightly negative low tide around noon.  The surf is nothing very significant.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Monday, April 27, 2026

4/27/26 Report - 1715 Fleet Mexico Eight Escudo. Pirate Piece of Eight. Lima Eight Reales.

 

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


Lot 17 in the Current Sedwick Auction.

Even though the auction hasn't gone live yet and won't until May 6, this 8-escudo already has a bid of $30,000, which is the low end of the auction estimate.

I decided to pick out a few of the auction lots that are among the stars of the auction, based upon early bidding and look at some of the factors that make these lots so valuable.  

Here is the lot description for this lot.

MEXICO, Mexico City, gold cob 8 escudos, 1714 J, NGC MS 64 (1715 Fleet Shipwreck Label). S-M30; Cal-2212; KM-57.3; Fr-6. 26.99 grams. Excellent full cross-and-tressure and shield with 100% full oMJ and denomination VIII, also bold 17 and traces of 14 of date plus king's ordinal V in legend, typical edge-beveling on reverse (as made), choice grade, currently tied with six others for second finest in the NGC census behind a single MS 65. From the 1715 Fleet.

Looking at the coin itself, it is NGC graded, has a high grade (second highest known), has a nearly full date and other information such as the mint and assayer initial and has the 1715 Fleet salvage tag. Those are things to look for when estimating the value of a treasure coin.

Below is another example. This one is silver, but it isn't only the coin. It already has a bid of $17,000, which is in the middle of the auction estimate. And again, it is still very early.

Lot 391 of the current Sedwick Auction.


BOLIVIA, Potosí, cob 8 reales, 1702 Y, housed in original frame with certificate, very rare provenance. S-P43a; KM-31; Cal-1536. 21¾" x 13½" (frame). Fairly clear date and pillars-and-waves (other side not on view) with light toning and no visible corrosion, elegantly framed with its original certificate and postcard showing an engraving of the ship as from a presentation to investors in 1987 that proposed to turn the Whydah museum into a Florida theme park. One of the more important numismatic aspects of the famous Whydah finds is the fact that a relatively large amount of cobs from Lima and Potosí were recovered, perhaps explaining the relative paucity of those coins found from the 1715 Fleet in our time—in other words, the majority of those coins were taken off the Fleet wrecks by pirates and ended up with Bellamy on the Whydah! As with all the coins selected for these displays, the original certificate mistakenly calls the mint "Mexico"; we have left the display intact, however, as a relic of the investment scheme that indirectly brought otherwise unobtainable Whydah coins to market in recent years. Framed with original Maritime / Betts & Bernstein certificate 30411 signed by Barry Clifford. Recovered from: Whydah, sunk in 1717 off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.This

This one is dated - always an important factor, but there is a lot that goes with the coin itself.  This one has a nice display in addition to the tag to document its history.  It was sold in previous auctions and was part of a very famous pirate ship and is attractively and extensively documented.  There is much more than the coin that determines the value here.  Of course the larger and generally more complete eight denominations do better than the smaller denominations.


Lot 643 of the Current Sedwick Auction.

PERU, Lima, cob 8 reales, 1660 V, extremely rare, ex-Ugaz, ex-Sellschopp. Sedwick-III.8.1; S-L5; KM-18.2; Cal-1250. 27.44 grams. While there is much discussion about the evolution and transportation of the 1659 issues (presentation pieces and regular issues), there is no debate that the coins struck in 1660 are the rarest of them all, for minting is known to have ceased in March of that year. This specimen is particularly desirable, as it shows a full PLVS / •*• / VLTRA between well-centered pillars, most of L-8-V to left and right, complete date •660• at bottom-center above full waves, the crown at top also nearly full but partially flat, bold but slightly off-center full cross on the other side, lightly toned VF, with excellent pedigree to boot. Pedigreed to the Jorge Ugaz Collection and the Sellschopp Collection (Swiss Bank Corp. auction of September 1988, also to the Baldwin's auction of September 2010 (lot 3960).

This one has a bid of $7000, which is just below the auction estimate.  Still, that is a very good early bid that will likely go much higher before the auction is over.

This one is a very rare date.  It is also an appealing coin based upon appearance.  Nice star in the middle, distinct waves, and a three-digit date, which is a full date for this type.  On top of that, it comes from a famous collection and has appeared in previous auctions.

---

The above were found at the beginning of the auction (sessions 1 and 2)   There must be a couple thousand lots in this auction.  Really a lot of different things.  Since there are many days to go many lots, including many coins, have no bids yet.  

In the last session there is always a variety of kinds of things.  There are a bunch of graded Morgans, a 1715 emerald, lead shot and canon balls, nuggets, tokens, Oriental porcelain, etc.

These auctions provide a good opportunity to learn about the various kinds of treasure and how to identify coins and things.  It is nice to be able to identify something you dig up when you see it.  You won't find internet sites or books with more examples of items, and they will not have the thorough detailed descriptions that you find in the auctions.  You won't find a better educational tool anywhere.

---

Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.


A little rougher than I expected, but nothing real exciting there.

Still a lot of big pipes and heavy equipment on some of the beaches, which will produce some of those big iron flakes you'll find.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net


Sunday, April 26, 2026

4/26/26 Report - How Old Did You Say? Settlements, Bottles and Products. Nice Beach Day.


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


Oops—a 30-year-old archaeological error just changed the timeline of human migration...

“[Our] results fail to support the [previous] hypothesis that the lower portion of
[Monte Verde II] date to the Late Pleistocene,” he and his team said in a study recently published in the journal Science. “Instead, evidence from multiple sections show that the uppermost terrace at Monte Verde accumulated during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene.”

According to the researchers, several critical observations had been missed. For one, Monte Verde II is actually above an older layer known as Lepué Tephra, which is comprised of rock fragments that were ejected by an erupting volcano. And that lower (and, therefore, presumably older) layer is only 11,000 years old—nowhere close to the original 14,500-year-old estimate for Monte Verde occupation. For another, the original investigation of the site never accounted for the erosion that further separates older and younger strata in the region...

Here is the link for more about that.

Oops—a 30-year-old archaeological error just changed the timeline of human migration

Just yesterday I was talking about "rewriting history."  It is, and should be, a constant process.

But I've often been skeptical of dating techniques, whether it is radiocarbon dating or some other technique.  So often it just seems wrong. 

This story has a good lesson for detectorists too.  Old layers are not always below newer layers.  The oldest layers can be on top at times.  Human activity or nature can change things.  Renourishment sand can be from sources that are very old and then get dumped on top.  Then it can get eroded.  It is a dynamic process.  Beaches are dynamic systems.  There are the tides, storms and various other processes.  And there is the sorting process that separates things by density and other characteristics.

---

Here is a older bottle for a product that is still used today.


Brown Embossed Lysol Bottle.

You probably know what Lysol is, but you might not know how long it has been around or what it was used for in the past.

As you can tell by the look of the bottle, it has been around a while.


This bottle has Lysol in script repeated four times around the shoulder of the bottle.

The first-ever Lysol antiseptic disinfectant was made in 1889 by Gustav Raupenstrauch. It was created in order to end the cholera epidemic in Germany, where it was causing huge destruction. Next time, the product was advertised by Lehn & Fink in 1918 during the Spanish flu pandemic, it was advertised as an effective product for fighting the influenza virus.

After that it was used for more controversial applications.  It was advertised as a feminie hygien product.  And it wsa used by some as a contraceptive.  Of course, it isn't used that way anymore.  In fact, it seems hard to believe it ever was used that way.

Finally, Lysol was introduced to hospitals and drug stores in 1930, and around 1962 the company began manufacturing the Lysol disinfectant spray.


The bottle shown above was a Treasure Coast find.  The one shown below seems to be a little older than that. 



Here is a link for more of the history.

What Was Lysol Originally Used for? History of Lysol - 1920 to 2021

When you find something with a name that is still in use, it is natural to think of it as a modern product even though it could have been invented long ago and used for a many years or even a century or more.

The same thing goes for products like 3 in 1 oil.  Below are three different 3 in 1 Oil bottles.  The one on the right is the only screw top.

Three 3 in 1 Oil Bottles.

3 in 1 Oil is still used but was marketed as early as 1894.  

See TreasureGuide's Bottle Barn: Embossed 3 - In - One or Three - In - One Oil Company Bottle.

---

Enjoying Fort Pierce South Beach Sunday,.

You can see where the beachgoers are.  They are mostly on the beach, but there is a little shallow water activity.


Nothing bigger than three or four feet predicted for next week.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

Saturday, April 25, 2026

4/25/26 Report - 1554 Spanish Treasure Wrecks: The People, Ships and Treasures. Shipwrecks that Changed History.

 

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


Treasure, People, Ships and Dreams was created ty the Texas Antiquities Committee.  It is all about the  1554 wrecks, including the history, salvage, artifacts but also providing many stories of individuals some that you've probably never heard of before.  I'll give you some excerpts below to give you the idea, but you might want to read the entire thing.

Here is small bit of the fascinating story of Dona Catalina, one of the passengers.


Fray Juan Ferrer was an interesting character that prophesied the wrecking of the fleet and the unfortunate fate of the passengers.  He also wrote a book in secret code that only he could decipher and  wanted to provide it to the king who was evidently interested in learning more about it.

 Here is a short excerpt about Fray Ferrer.



Then of course there were the first attempts to salvage the wrecks by the Spanish and then centuries later by modern treasure hunters.



Some of the ships survived to make a later voyage.


The report also helps put values in perspective.


There is more to that, but I doubt that it is ever really meaningful to consider past values "in today's coin."  At least not when talking centuries instead of a few years.  It wouldn't matter how many millions of dollars you had a century or two ago, you still couldn't go shopping at Costco or buy any of a million things that are readily available today to the common person, and that is not to mention things like cell phones or the internet and AI.  

If you want to read more of the document about the 1554 fleet, here is the link.

Treasure_People_Ships_and_Dreams.pdf

You might find the artifacts interesting.

---

How often do you hear of findings that rewrite history.  It seems I hear or read it often - way too often.  I guess it is a way to grab attention, but the claim of rewriting history is always empty hype whether it is an internet title or TV show claim.  You hear the phrase so much it has become not only virually meaningless but a sign of either ignorance or dishonesty.

Nonetheless here is an article using the phrase in the title.  

13 Shipwrecks That Completely Rewrote Maritime History - The Voyaging

If they completely rewrote history, that suggests to me that all of history was wrong up to that point.  If so, what does that suggest about the new story?  Maybe it will soon be rewritten too.

Here is a title that seems much more reasonable to me.

18 Shipwrecks That Changed the Course of World History – Country Adventures

---

9 AM Views from Wabasso Beach Cam (Indian River County FL.)


These Wabasso views are what you will see all around the Treasure Coast this morning.  The beaches have built up again and beach goers are out enjoying the beautiful weather.


Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

The tides are moderate now and the surf is small.

Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net