2/13/23 Report - Surprising $1000 Find Made On Treasure Coast. Off-Beach Detecting Finds. Mucking.

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

Amazing $1000 Surprise Find.
Find and photo by Cliff R.

Do you know what made this Treasure Coast find so valuable?

Below is how Cliff R. describes the find.

I started detecting in 2018, thanks to a friend you have referred to in the past as "Sebastian Steve".

I'm emailing about a 1913 St. Lucie County porcelain license plate I found back in Nov. after Nichole came through. I like getting to the riverbank in Ft. Pierce at low tide to see what will pop up. My timing was off, or so I thought because it was high tide. There is lots of modern demo debris on the embankment including cast iron, galv. pipe, etc. which is a challenge since I like to detect my AT Max in "All Metal".

This plate was about 6" down and about 8" from the edge of the waves.

1913 St. Lucie County License Plate as Dug.
Find and photo by Cliff R.

It took about 20 min of careful cleaning to tease out the date.

1913 St. Lucie County License Plate After Some Cleaning.
Find and photo by Cliff R.

The long and short is that a collector (& International and Fl lic. plate museum owner) offered me $1000.00 for it which I accepted. The "FOR HIRE" is part of what made this one so collectible.  He is very approachable if you ever want to pick his brain about plates.

Here's the address for the Fl. porcelain license plate website with some nice info on Florida plates by county. Scroll down to find St. Lucie county. (The St. Lucie plate for 1914 is really sharp looking in red/black.)

https://porcelainplates.net/florida_archive_4.html   

I didn't realize license plates were a city or county thing originally. The states didn't get involved until after Henry Ford ramped up production in 1913.

Anyway, I've gone on long enough. Thanks for keeping the TCBR ongoing without the ads.

Cliff R. (aka. Petespockets55 online)

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Thanks for sharing Cliff.  That is a really cool find.  I always enjoy discovering new types of treasure, especially finds that are rare and unique enough to add to a museum collection.  Not only is it economically valuable, but we learn about a totally new type of treasure that also adds something significant for those who specialize in license plate collecting.  

One of the things I really like about metal detecting and treasure hunting is how much you can learn about so many different types of things.  Research can make many finds more interesting and help you discover the real value of things.

Congratulations on a treat find.

You never know what you might find, especially if you have the patience to work in areas like that.  And in all-metals mode yet!  I call that kind of hunting mucking.  

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Recently Joe D. also went off-beach.  

Here is what he said about that.

Beaches have been sparse, so found this stuff while detecting in an old part of Town! Just enough to read on bottle bottom; C & Colim! Pics i found were close (no 13 on mine), so it may have been an 1890's beer bottle! Fun to look it up, even if it's trash! 

 And the best for last, a sterling silver ring!!💍👍👍

Miscellaneous Dug Targets byJoe D.

Old Bottle With Glass Manufacturer Marks

Here is a great site for looking up the marks of glass manufacturing companies. They have a very extensive list.

Makers Marks (sha.org)

Sterling Siver Ring
Find and photo by Joe D.

Thanks much for sharing Joe. Keep it up.

Like I always say, There is always some place to hunt and something to find.  There are times to think outside the beach.

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Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net