8/16/23 Report - Nuestra Senora de las Nieves Shipwreck Name. Testing and Identifying White Metals.

 

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

The Douglass Beach, or Colored Beach wreck as it was sometimes called, has for some time has been thought to be the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, which means Our Lady of the Snow.  In recent years there has been evidence presented that suggest that the wreck is not the Nieves, but, right or wrong, I can hardly think of the wreck without thinking "Nieves."  

If you've ever wondered where that name came from, below is some background.

Improbable as it is for snow to fall during August, history tells of a snowfall that seemed more impossible, namely in Rome, Italy. August 5, 352, snow fell during the night.

There lived in the Eternal City a nobleman, John and his childless wife, who had been blessed with much of this world’s goods. They chose the Mother of God as the heir to their fortune, and at the suggestion of Pope Liberius, prayed that she might make known to them how to do this by a particular sign.

In answer, the Virgin Mother during the night of August 5, appeared to John and his wife and also to the Holy Father, Pope Liberius, directing them to build a church in her honor on the crown of the Esquiline Hill. And what would be the sign that John and his wife had requested?

“Snow will cover the crest of the hill.”

Snow rarely falls in Rome, but the flakes fell silently during that night, blanketing the peak of the historic hill. In the morning the news quickly spread and crowds gathered to throng up the hill and behold the white splendor. The snow had fallen in a particular pattern, showing the outline of the future church. When it became known that the snow was a sign from Mary, the people spontaneously added another to her long list of titles, Our Lady of the Snows...

Here is the source link for more about that.

Our Lady of the Snows (roman-catholic-saints.com) 

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In recent years it became more common for people to wear rings of various materials other than silver, gold, and platinum. Now rings of stainless steel and other materials are fairly common.  That can make it a little more difficult to identify "white" metal objects.  Even if you have a gold test kit, it might not include an acid for platinum., for example.  

I found a web site that describes some tests for steel, platinum, white gold and palladium.  Of course, the first thing is to check for marks. You can usually find registered hallmarks, but even hallmarks can be fake.  In this age of fakes, forgeries, counterfeits, lies, illusion and delusion, you cannot be sure that they are accurate.  Fake hallmarks are rare, but do exist, so you might want to carry out additional tests.

One good book is The Gold and Silver Buyer's Handbook, which provides hundreds of tips.  I recently mentioned many of the tips in a post I did about a week ago in my Find Examination Checklist (FEC).

Here are a tests to consider.

You can use a neodymium magnet, (the most powerful) or a Magnetic Silver Tester. Here is good reference for magnetic testing.  Testing with magnets | Quicktest.  Silver is diamagnetic and can be tested with suitable magnets, (though copper gives a similar result.  Some items can be copper, but plated with silver.  

Being magnetic does not prove item is steel, not all steel is magnetic.

Some platinum contains cobalt and is very slightly magnetic.

A magnet is basically useless for testing gold because there are so many other non-magnetic me

One thing that is important for acid tests, is filing the item to get beneath any surface plating.  That is something you might not want to do to fine or old items.  Gold or silver plating can be over a layer of copper but have a core of steel.

Precious metals are soft enough that you will know if the item is steel simply because you won't be able to file the steel with your steel file.

If the color underneath is different from the surface, test it for silver or other white metals.  A good starting place for testing a white metal would be an acid test for silver.  Vermeil will be gold over silver.

 There are also acid testers on the market, for example, the Troytest tester.  Here is a link to that one..  Troytest 4-bottle tester for gold, silver, platinum, white gold, palladium and steel | Quicktes

There are also electronic testers. The less expensive electronic testers are not reliable for testing platinum. You will get a platinum reading for palladium.

Of course, XRF is the best technology, but too expensive for most detectorists, but you might be able to find a pawn shop or jeweler that will do an XRF test for you.

Here is a good link.  How to test platinum, palladium, steel & white gold | Quicktest

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The NHC map shows just a little activity coming off of Africa.  That is common for this time of year, but don't expect any big changes to the Treasure Coast real soon.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov.

Expect more south and west winds this week.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net