1/31/25 Report - How Metal Detectorists Can Use Artificial Intelligence (AI): Promise and Hype.

 

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

There is a lot of talk about Artificial Intelligence. If you pay attention to the news, you probably heard or read about Deepseek this week, which in my opinion, is not as revolutionary or world-changing as suggested by many sources.

But before getting too far into this, it might be helpful to start with a definition of artificial intelligence.  Here is the definition provided by Copilot (Microsoft's AI "companion").

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. These tasks include learning from experience, recognizing patterns, understanding natural language, and making decisions. Here are some key aspects of AI:

1. Machine Learning (ML): This is a subset of AI where systems learn from data to improve their performance over time without being explicitly programmed.

2. Natural Language Processing (NLP): This enables computers to understand, interpret, and respond to human language in a valuable way. Examples include chatbots and voice assistants.

3. Computer Vision: This allows machines to interpret and make decisions based on visual information from the world, like recognizing faces or objects in images.

4. Robotics: This involves designing and programming robots to carry out tasks, which could range from manufacturing to surgery.

AI is applied in various fields including healthcare, finance, transportation, entertainment, and many more, constantly evolving to find new ways to assist and enhance our lives

Having an M.A. in clinical psychology and being trained to administer intelligence tests, the subject of intelligence is one that I've studied and thought about.  When referring to Artificial Intelligence, it seems that the first word, "artificial," does not receive enough attention.  There are differences between human intelligence and "artificial" intelligence other than where the intelligence resides.  There are significant qualitative differences.  It is my opinion that many so called "artificial intelligence" applications, do not deserve to be described as "intelligent," even with the "artificial" designation.

Anyhow, looking at the definition provided by Copilot, machine learning is one thing you would expect of AI, but only very limited machine learning is present in many systems described as AI.  

Natural language processing is another feature that is often not found on some systems that are described as AI.   

The term "AI" is often misused and thrown around to grab attention or to generate excitement.  It is often used and misused for marketing purposes.

Now I'll get down to some real-world metal detecting related applications.

In a fairly recent post, I mentioned how Mark G. used Copilot.  He asked the system about the wind and sand and when to detect.  For specifics about that see Treasure Beaches Report: Pt. 2. (2020 and Beyond). : 1/16/25 Report - Win an Eight-Reale. Millions of People Taking a Dip Wearing Very High Karat Gold. Detectorists Using AI and a Few Examples.  You can see his queries and the AI responses in that post.

He received some decent answers, but nothing shocking or really advanced.  It was basic information that would be useful to a relative beginner or someone who wanted some food for thought.  Don't expect anything really leading-edge from querying systems like Copilot of ChatGPT.  Those systems simply go around a gather information that is already available and assimilate it to some extent.  I don't see much more than that, but some larger systems might do more with the data collected.

If you heard all he buzz about Deepseek this week, it is not as revolutionary or world-changing as was implied.  It is a big copycat that extensively queried other more mature AI systems, and in essence, stole their knowledge database.

Detectorists will find basic AI systems like Copilot and ChatGPT useful to some extent.  They will provide helpful answers to many queries.  They will not provide the most advanced thinking on the subject.

Here is Copilot response to a query concerning AI and metal detecting. 

AI is revolutionizing the field of metal detecting in several exciting ways! By integrating advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, AI-powered metal detectors are becoming more precise, efficient, and reliable. Here are some key advancements:

1. Enhanced Accuracy: AI algorithms can analyze complex data patterns, reducing false alarms and improving the detection of metallic objects.

2. Adaptability: AI can adapt to different terrains and soil compositions, making it easier to detect metals in various environments.

3. Real-Time Analysis: AI-powered detectors provide real-time data analysis, helping users make quicker and more informed decisions.

4. Proactive Identification: These systems can identify potential risks and anomalies, enhancing security protocols and quality control measures.

5. Multispectral Imaging: Some AI metal detectors use multispectral imaging to differentiate between various metal types, offering valuable insights for archaeologists and historians.

These advancements are making metal detecting more accessible and effective for a wide range of applications, from treasure hunting to security and environmental cleanup.

Are you interested in using AI for metal detecting, or just curious about the technology?

The claim that AI is revolutionizing the field of metal detecting is, at best, an overstatement, which is not unusual for statements about AI.

There are many possible applications for AI in metal detecting as well as other fields, but new technologies seldom deliver the revolutionary impacts advertised.  That can be for many different reasons, but much of it is hype, and real revolutionary change is not something that happens all the time.  There are more advanced systems that the public does not generally have common access to.  The term unfortunately too often used to describe applications that do not deserve to be called AI.

If you look at the footnotes in Copilot's response, you will see where the Copilot system got the information it provided to the query about AI and metal detecting.  There are two sources.  Both sources are sites that sell metal detectors and are benefited by big claims.  As you know, you won't find a lot of public discussion, but little that is deeply thoughtful or insightful.  

You will also see that Copilot's responses are nearly word-for-word what was published on the source sites.  AI, in this form, simply takes information it finds elsewhere and gives it to you when queried, and often without adequate attribution.  Yes, there are the footnotes, but how many people check those.

When asked, "When would be a good time this week to metal detect Fort Pierce beach," Copilot responded as follows.

A good time to metal detect at Fort Pierce Beach would be during low tide, which typically occurs in the early morning or late afternoon. This allows you to cover more ground as the beach is more exposed. Additionally, weekdays are generally less crowded than weekends, giving you more space to search without too many distractions.

Not a bad response.  It might be useful for the beginner, but it is nothing revolutionary, or even informative for someone that is experienced in the field. 

I didn't look up the footnotes for this response.  You can do that if you want to.

Freely available public AI systems like this can and will provide useful information for the detectorists, but don't expect anything shockingly new or advanced.  You might find it useful to query such systems about numismatics, treasure sites, artifacts, shipwrecks, leads and many other helpful topics.

Concerning AI being employed in metal detectors, my opinion is there are advances in the technology and their capabilities, but for me, it seems to fall way short of qualifying as being "intelligent," even when used with the term "artificial."

A calculator, for example, gives answers for math problems, but does not qualify, in my mind, as being intelligent.  Many applications are like that.  For marketing purposes, they might be called AI to give the perception of advanced capabilities.  

 The same goes for "AI" in metal detectors.  There may be very limited, if any, machine learning involved even when the AI term is thrown around.   There is typically no natural language processing.  There is no computer vision despite the decades of claims that metal detectors will show you what is in the ground before you dig it.  In short, most claims fall short of what I would comfortably call AI.  

I agree that improvements in the detector's hardware and software will be made, and that will make detector's more useful and effective, but for me, the improvement in the technology is simply not of the type or scale necessary to qualify as "AI."

To sum it up, AI systems such as Copilot and ChatGPT will be useful for obtaining information on a wide variety of subjects, many of which will be useful to the detectorist.

When it comes to the technology, there have been advances and improvements, but for me, I think the use of the term AI for many, if not all, of those is misuse of the term.  

Like most tools, the creative skilled use will improve the effectiveness and benefit of AI.  Don't overlook it, but don't be overly impressed by many of the claims.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

1/30/25 Report - Treasure Beach Closing for More Renourishment. Eisenhower Coin Finds and Valuable Eisenhowers. Mammoth Structure.

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

So Turtle Trail is to be closed for two to three months for more renourishent.

Thanks to Dan B. for sending this.

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Dug Eisenhower Dollar Coins.

It is always nice to dig a nice higher denomination coin, but it doesn't happen all that often anymore.  

Above are some Eisenhower dollars that I dug in the past.  They were all minted in the seventies.  Three are the bicentennial coins.

I've found more Susan B. Anthony dollar coins than Eisenhower dollar coins, but more Peace and Morgan dollars, but a lot of them were found as a cache.

The Eisenhower produce ring up as around 35 on my Equinox metal detector.  Kennedy halves, in comparison, are much smaller, but tend to ring up just a very bit lower but still in the thirties.

I remember about half a roll of Anthonies on the beach on one hunt.  I couldn't figure out why so there were so many in the area.

The base-metal Eisenhower dollars failed to circulate to any significant degree, except in and around Nevada casinos, where they were preferred over privately issued tokens. 

It has been quite a while since I found any dollar coins, but I haven't done a lot of coins shooting in recent years either.

There are a lot of dollar coins being produced, such as the Presidential dollar series, but they for collectors rather than circulation, so I'd be surprised to dig one up, but it is possible.

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A 1976 Type 2 “No S” Silver Proof Eisenhower Dollar is one of America’s great mystery coins! It is a 1976 Proof Bicentennial dollar lacking the “S” mintmark for San Francisco, and was discovered at a Woodward & Lathrup department store in the Washington, D.C. area in 1977.

It is possible that this coin was struck as a presentation piece for a government or White House official in Washington and then entered circulation when it was accidentally spent.

Here is a link for more about that.

This Unique Eisenhower Dollar Was Found at a Department Store

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Here is a link to another article on a valuable Eisenhower dollar.

Eisenhower Dollars Key Dates, Rarities and Varieties

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DNA and radiocarbon analysis provide new insights into prehistoric mammoth bone complex.

Here is that link.

DNA and radiocarbon analysis provide new insights into prehistoric mammoth bone complex

As you probably know, mammoth fossils as well as many other types of fossils have been found on the Treasure Coast beaches.  I haven't seen any for quite a while though.

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Expect a small surf for the next week.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

1/29/25 Report - Coin Hoard Found by Two Detectorists. Antique Police Docket Found in Thrift Store. Time Travel.

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

A pair of detectorists discovered a hoard of coins buried in a cloth or leather pouch around 50 cm deep.

 The coins are thought to have been taken as spoils during the conquest of Britain between A.D. 43 and 47, and then perhaps distributed to Roman soldiers as a reward for a successful campaign known as a donativum... 

Here is the link for more about that.

Ancient British coins found in Dutch field likely to be spoils of Roman conquest | Roman Britain | The Guardian

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A 120-year-old Casper Wyoming police docket was found in a thrift store and donated to the police department for public display.

Casper, Wyo. - A rare and historic police docket for the City of Casper dating back to 1904, was recently uncovered at Rescued Treasures West Thrift Store.

This artifact offers a glimpse into Casper’s rich history, and was discovered by Assistant Store Manager, Scauti Hillman, who immediately recognized its significance. Hillman say’s "I saw what it was and i just knew that it was just such a significant piece of history for Casper."

A police docket is a log used to record daily incidents, arrests, and other activities by law enforcement. This particular docket offers a glimpse into the early days of Casper’s history. Hillman explained, “It was definitely amusing to read some of those descriptions of crimes back in the day.”...

Here is the link for the rest of that article.

Recently discovered century old artifact, shows glimpse of what life was like in Casper 120 years ago | Community | wyomingnewsnow.tv

I regularly searched thrift stores for old and collectible books back in the day and found some pretty good ones, including an extensive book on Spanish coins and an old leather-bound atlas.

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 When I awoke last night the thought that came to mind was,  "WOW!  That was quick!"

I got old.  It seemed so sudden.  

I didn't even realize it until one day I looked at a photo and wondered who the old man was.  Turned out, it was me.  I never saw myself as old before, but there it was staring me in the face.

Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night as I often do.  I love the silence and darkness.  That is when the inner light shines brightly. The spotlight of awareness is turned inward.  As my mind jumped around, I quickly visited the 50s, 60s, 70s 80s 90s. 2000s, 2010s, and part of the 2020s.  I've been to those times and places before.  

I thought decades were supposed to be long periods of time.  But they aren't.  As I look back from this point, they were quick.  Now it seems that years pass as quickly as weeks or months once did.

History is richly and uniquely experienced by individuals in the making, then it becomes second hand, third hand, fragmentary, conceptual and symbolically reconstructed, even for those who desperately try to reconstruct it.  

I enjoy revisiting the times I've experienced.  The way I see it, those times never left.  The are still there.  

Robert Penfield, many decades ago, by electrically stimulating various portions of the brain, elicited vibrant detail memories.  That suggests that the memories are permanent.  The problem is not one of storing memories but of accessing or recalling them.  That is a different way to view it.

It seems to me that experienced time is collapsable.  You can go back and visit the 50s, or 60s, or whatever.  I imagine it as awareness sliding back and forth along the sequence of time.  

I like the line from Pink Floyd that goes, "Thinking is the best way to travel."  That is how I've seen it for a long time.

It wasn't a new thought or sentiment for me.  I saw the same thing in Peter Pan, which I watched on black and white TV as a child traveling through the fifties.  I undoubtedly couldn't verbalize it the same way then, but I resonated to it at some level.

As I've said before, I still have the coffee table under which I drew in pencil a big pirate ship manned by many mates climbing the ratlines, sword in hand.  That table as it sat in the living room of my father's house back in the fifties is something of a compass rose from which the cardinal directions of the rest of my life are determined.  

I thought of getting rid of that table once or twice, but the thought quickly passed.  I could still with some trouble crawl under the table and look at what my drawing, but the little boy is still there, and I don't want to push him out.  I'll leave him to his play.

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Source: SurfGuru.com.

As you can see, a small surf is expected all week.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/28/25 Report - Mystery Find. Gold Helmet Taken After Explosion. Research Resource: Florida Forts and Historic Florida Maps.

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

Recently Dug 2016 Mystery Nickel with NRA and Eight Ball Stamped on It.
Find and Photos by Mark G.

Mark just found the above nickel while metal detecting.  The nickel does not show much detail other than the NRA and Eight Ball stamped on it.  It is verhy worn, but he managed to make out the date, which is 2016.  I think I can see a bit of the memorial on the NRA sides.

Can anyone tell use more about this stamped nickel?

Thanks in advance.

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Police received a report at 3:45 a.m. local time Saturday about an explosion at the Drents Museum in Assen. Upon arrival, officers found the museum damaged and the gold masterpieces gone.

A gold Coțofenești helmet on loan from the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest and three Dacian royal bracelets were stolen by the thieves. The artifacts were on display in an exhibit, "Dacia - Empire of Gold and Silver," the museum said...

Here is the link for the rest of that article.

Explosion rocks Dutch museum before gold masterpieces stolen

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 The above illustration can be found in an article Soldiers and Sunshine: Article 1 - Forts on the Florida Frontier by Molly Thomas.

That is just one of the articles in the Spring/Summer 2018 issue of the Indian River Journal.

Another article in that issue that I really enjoyed was about electricity coming to Titusville.

Here is the link.

Indian River Journal - Spring-Summer 2018

Above is an overall view of Zachory Taylor's 1839 map.  You can find additional closeup views and other information about the map by using the following link.

Zachary Taylor’s Florida Map – 1839 “Seat of War” – Old Maps – Blog

Prints of that map as well as many others can be purchased using the following link.

http://shop.old-maps.com/florida/state-maps-fl/florida-1839-u-s-army-engineers-old-state-map-reprint/

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Source: SurfGuru.com.

Looks like a week of small surf coming up.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

1/27/25 Report - Treasure Coast Beaches Some Erosion. Some Recent Finds. Repurposed Finds. Research Resource.

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

Treasure Coast Beach Frinday.

I received an email from Mark G. who did some detecting Friday.  He sent this report along with these photos.  Here is what he said.

Friday I had no meetings in the morning so I thought that would be a good time to hit low tide at a little known beach I have had my eye on. The post from the 21^st describing all the beaches from John Brooks south down to Walton Rocks skipped right over it. I was able to walk over a mile and a half north almost reaching Frederick Douglass. The cut was straight and long, tide was low, I hunted low in the surf where the water was cutting a trench southward, looked like a river paralleling the beach. I could see the shell bed being eroded at the very edge. This is a barren stretch of beach so it was a ship wreck treasure hunt not expecting modern junk. I did not find any treasure but the golden colored 10c Euro got me very excited for a second LOL.   

Treasure Coast Beach Friday.

Here is what he found.

Friday Finds Made by Mark G.

Mark went back to the same beach Sunday.

Same Beach Sunday.
Photos by Mark G.

Notice the shells.

Thanks to Mark for the photos and report.

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Al C. recently found copper wire and insulators on another North Hutchinson Island beach.

Clear Hemingray Insulator.
Found by Al C.

Here is a nice Hemingray database for researh.

Hemingray.info - Hemingray Glass Insulator Database & More!

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Metal Railroad Track Plates and Spikes.

You might remember a few years ago when I did some detecting on a lot by the railroad tracks where, from the finds, I concluded there must have been a wreck at one time.  Among the many spikes, tools and other items I dug were the plates shown above.  I made some benches from sections of track that were recovered from the lot, but I kept spikes and the plates and some other things figuring that I'd eventually find a use for them.  Well, I finally found a use for the metal plates, and was glad I did.

The mailman always created a rut where he stopped his truck in front of my mailbox.  I thought about concreting the track but then decided to try using the plates.  I filled the rut, smoothed it out and used the plates to pave the area.  I used some railroad spikes, which you can see in the photo, to hold the plates in place.  I didn't know if it would work, but it works better fine.  I didn't know if it would work, and didn't really expect it to work as well as it did.

I don't like to see things go to waste, and I'm always glad to be able to repurpose finds that don't seem to have any obvious use.  

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Here is a good research link.

Indian River Journal - Spring-Summer 2018

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Source: SurfGuru.com.

Looks like we'll be seeing a continual decline in surf.  Nothing exciting for a while.

I'm waiting to catch a good low tide.

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Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/25/25 Report - Mint Production Over the Years. Circulating Coins and Finds and Implications for Metal Detecting.

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

        Yr.          1C               5C            10C            25C           50C            1$         # coins     Tot. $ Value

Some detectorists have mentioned that there aren't as many cons on the beaches anymore because people aren't using cash or coins as much anymore.  I think that is probably true, but there might be additional reasons as well. For example, there might also be more detectorists. 

There are some places where coins pile up like sand on the beach.  If you every go to Disneyworld, check out the dock area around the boat that goes to from the transportation center to the Magic Kingdom.  You'll see coins by the gallons there, as well as any of the water areas in the parks, which they clean out periodically.  There are still many coins out there and people are willing to just throw them away.

The table at the top of this post gives the number of various coins produced by the U.S. mint from 2010 to 2014.  That is just the bottom part of the table, but from those figures, it appears that there was a peak in coin production in 2015 followed by decreasing numbers almost every year since then.  Still, there are a lot of coins being produced - billions every year.

More one cent coins are produced than any other denomination.  Usually at least three times more. and often way more than that.

I think most detectorists, unless they discriminate pennies, find many more of those.  There can be multiple reasons for that besides there being more produced.  People don't care as much if they drop a penny, for example.  And when it comes to zinc pennies, they'll be closer to the surface than most other coins.  There are other light coins.  Some coins from foreign countries, such as the very light coins from places such as St. Lucia or some of the older coins of Germany.

I have no real numbers, but the zinc pennies seem to deteriorate and fall apart rapidly - especially those lost on a beach, but also under less difficult circumstances.  I don't know what the life expectancy of a penny is, but when it comes to the zincs, I'd expect the actual period of circulation to be much shorter than the other coins.  Maybe I'm biased from what I've seen of beach found zinc pennies, but some that have never been on a beach deteriorate.  

If you notice, the coating on zinc pennies bubbles up and peals.  Also, they adhere to the sand, which affects to some extent where they are found.

There is not a perfect correlation between the total number of coins produced each year and the total value of the coins produced each year.  From 2023 to 2024, there was a big decrease in both the number of coins produced and the value of coins produced.  In the same period, the number of pennies fell off proportionally less than nickels and dimes.

Of the four lower denominations, fewer nickels are typically minted, and by a significant amount.  You probably find relatively few nickels.  

Despite there being fewer nickels minted, they are more often missed by some detectorists, depending to some extent upon the detector and detector settings being used.  There is one location I detect that is detected very well by another detectorist, but he leaves nickels.  When I detect an area after he has been there the majority of my modern coin finds will be nickels.  

My equinox, by the way, seems to be rock solid on the conductivity readings for nickels, giving a solid 13, which of course can also be produced by a few other items, including some lead sinkers.

You can follow other detectorists and determine what they are leaving or not leaving and then select a strategy to take advantage of the situation.  Over time you'll get to know the detectorists that regularly detect some areas and how they detect even if you've actually never seen them except maybe their footprints.

Pay attention to odd percentages of different types of coins and other finds and try to figure out what is going on.

Relatively few halves and dollar coins are produced every year and you seldom find them in circulation or on the beach.

The U.S. Mint has been trying for decades now to get Americans to grow fond of using the dollar coin for everyday purchases for these reasons:

• Coins last longer than paper money — by many decades.
• Coins are easy to recycle.
• Dollar coins are also easier to use with vending machines than dollar bills.

Here is that link.  Why U.S. Dollar Coins Are Not Circulating | The U.S. Coins Guide

Despite many attempts to get the public to accept and use dollar coins, they never seem to catch on.  The Eisenhower dollar coins were too big, and the Anthony coins are the same size as quarters, but not used much.  Are the Anthony dollars to easily mistaken or do people just think that dollar coins are special somehow and therefore keepers rather than spenders.  What do you think?

Of course, there was a time when the public used dollar coins a lot, and even gold coins of higher values circulated.  Now paper money just seems to be the most convenient.

If you would use dollar coins, you wouldn't have it long because very few modern transactions are an even dollar amount.  When is the last time you paid an even dollar amount for something and didn't either have to add some change or receive change for the dollar.  Could that be partly the result of the sales tax, which is always some odd amount.  When the Dollar Tree actually had things for a dollar, you never ended up paying a dollar.  You always ended up counting our or receiving change - often involving some number of pennies.  That makes the transaction more complex than it needs to be and it is an added hidden cost.  I've long thought that if I ran a business, I would try to price things so that with the tax added, the price would come out to an even dollar amount.  Anyhow...

If you look back to 1887, the total number of coins minted went from 109 million to 5.6 billion in 2024, so that is huge increase.  I don't know how it compares on a per person basis.

Below are the 1887 figures.

Back then there were about 33 million dollar-coins produced compared to 45 million pennies.  Not a huge difference like in modern times.  Dollar coins were accepted and used more back then.

  Here is the link for the full table that goes back to 1887.

 United States Mint coin production - Wikipedia

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Source: SurfGuru.com.

We have a decreasing surf now, but another bump is predicted for the near future.  

The high tides are not as high as they were in previous months.

1/24/25 Report - World War II History and the American Graves Registration Service. Some Recent Treasure Coast Beach Metal Detecting Finds.

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

Thursday's Dug Coins.

Yesterday I did little metal detecting.  I found one beach that looked good.  It was eroded back in a bit of a semicircle and rocks were exposed at low tide.  There were layers of sand, and some older sand was just a few inches below the renourishment sand.   Then there was a layer of shells.  This area has opened up like that several times over the past year or so.  The shells were from just a few years ago.  Older storms would have exposed an even older layer below the shells, which would have been deposited at some time after that.

I was finding some older things, including a couple silver quarters and a mercury dime and some wheats.  I thought I might have had a buffalo nickelN but after cleaning the heavy green rust off, I found it was a Jefferson.

And below you can see some other finds, including a square nail, small lead ball, percussion cap and button.   No gold, but it is the kind of hunt that I enjoy with a nice variety of older finds.

There was a lot of iron that I didn't dig.  There could have been a spike or something to be found, but I didn't have time to dig everything.  I always regret that.

Items Dug Yesterday.

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Here is a fascinating bit of U.S. history that I never heard of until recently.  Your grandparents probably experienced it. It is something I think people should know about. 

I am talking about a unique and amazingly extensive effort conducted by the United States to return over 170.000 World War II deceased soldiers from 87 countries around the world after World War II. 

The Graves Registration Company was to supervise the identification and burial of the dead, collect and dispose of the personal effects, and locate and register battlefield burials and cemeteries according to the first T/O 10-297 published on January 1, 1940.

That was just the beginning of the process that was concluded between 1947 and 1951.

During the war, all efforts were made to locate World War II deceased soldiers remains, which were temporarily buried in temporary cemeteries overseas until after the war when, if the family wished, the bodies were transported back home.

After the war, dedicated funeral ships that transported bodies to either New York (actually Brooklyn) or San Francisco (Oakland) depending upon the theatre they came from.  The remains were then transported by rail on funeral trains with specially refitted cars for carrying caskets, to 16 central locations around the country before the individual bodies were transported to the final resting place chosen by the family. 

See WWII Grave registration

The United States of America was the only country which repatriated their Valiant Deceased Service Personnel (Soldier Dead) after WWII, as well as foreign wars before and after. When the U.S. entered WWII, the Government made the determination that we would not return our Soldier Dead from overseas until after the cessation of hostilities. Following victories in both Europe and the Pacific, the global initiative "The Return of the World War II Dead Program" was launched by the USA to locate aircraft crash sites, comb former battlefields for isolated graves, and disinter temporary military cemeteries around the globe. This program was intended to be completed within 5 years. The sacred responsibilities for locating, identifying, moving, notification and, based on the wishes of the Next Of Kin (NOK) - either returning their U.S. Army Soldier Dead back to the USA or providing final resting in a Permanent American Military Cemetery Overseas - were honorably born by the personnel of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS, or often just GRS) of the U.S. Army QuarterMaster Corps (QMC).

Here is a link for more about that.  IDPFs

Below is a period newspaper clipping reporting on the arrival of one of those funeral ships.

New York, Aug. 17 – AP – The bodies of 5,864 American war dead, including many who fell in the bitter fighting at St. Lo, are scheduled to arrive at the Brooklyn Army base Thursday aboard the U.S. Army transport Lawrence Victory.

The dead are the largest single group to be returned since the arrival of the first war dead vessel in October, 1947, the New York Port of Embarkation said. Most of them originally interred in military cemeteries at Limey and Marigny, France....

Here is that link.

Funeral Ships - Heartland Genealogy

Here is the link for more about the Funeral ships which were white with a large purple band around the ship. (Funeral trains were marked by purple flags.)

When the funeral ship doors were opened and thousands of stacked caskets were revealed to waiting family members, it was an overwhelming scene.

That is a part of United States history I think we should know. The extent and cost of the effort was something that was only conducted by the United States.

That would have been a perfect Memorial Day post, but I just learned about it.

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Source: Surfguru.om.

As you can see the surf will be decreasing.  The tides are not so high now.  They have been decreasing.  

There should still be some decent beach hunting out there.  I hope to get a chance to check for some bottles.

I'd like to see your find photos from this week.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

1/21/25 Report - Erosion on Treasure Coast Beaches. Nice Detecting Spots Today. Closed Beaches. Snow Covered Pensacola Area.

  

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

John Brooks Beach Thursday Morning.

I took a look at a few beaches and did a little metal detecting.  There was a little erosion and some nice detecting.

First I stopped at John Brooks, which you can see above.  The weather was pleasant - a little cool, but not raining or windy.

As you can see there was a little erosion near the top of the slope - what I've begun to call a rim.

John Brooks Beach Thursday Morning.

As you can see, the rim extends to the south.

It looked like more erosion down around the bend at Frederick Douglass.  

Frederick Douglass is still closed.  They have barricades across the road at the entrance.

The Blind Creek park is still closed.  The parking lot is torn up and they are doing renovations down there.

Walton Rocks Beach Thursday Morning.

Unfortunately, my camera battery went dead after I took the photo above looking to the north at Walron Rocks.

To the south, there was better erosion and many rocks towards the bottom of the beach showing at low tide.  I did some detecting there and there were good older targets.  I have some encrusted coins soaking now.

That part of the beach has been like that multiple times in the past few months.  Under a few inches of renourishment sand is tan sand and a layer of shells down below that.  Before the last renourishment efforts, this beach was lower and then refilled before the renourishment.

From what I saw today I'd rate beach detecting conditions for shipwreck items at around a 2.5.

In north Florida, the weather is colder and there is heavy snow.  I detected many of those areas a lot back in the day when I was going there about every other week to do contract work for the Navy Air Station in Pensacola.

Snow on Pensacola Beach.

I couldn't believe the amount of snow they got on the Florida Panhandle, including Pensacola and other areas.  

I do vaguely remember a dusting of snow on Pensacola Beach when I was there one time, but this time they got several inches, according to what I was reading.

I always enjoyed detecting up there and did Pensacola Beach, Perdido Bay, Ryerson Park, where I got chased out of the water by a cottonmouth snake, and even over to Milton, an old resort area where an old hotel burned down.

Behind the Holiday Inn on the causeway over to the beach I picked up a nice gold and onyx ring with my Fisher Aquanaut.  I think that was one of my first good finds up there on a business trip.  

Milton was fun.  It produced a lot of old coins and stuff. 

I told about that and some of those hunts before.

See for example, The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 5/21/15 Report - Nautical Archaeology And The Rich History Of Florida. Great Resources For Shipwreck Research.

Here is a map of that area.  I posted it before.  Very historic and fun metal detecting part of Florida.

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Historic snowstorm shuts down travel for millions from Texas to Florida

Travel along I-10 may be “dangerous or impossible” for days as a rare winter storm which already dumped heavy snow from Texas to Louisiana, continues to move along the northeast Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts...

Here is that link.

Historic snowstorm shuts down travel for millions from Texas to Florida

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Source: SurfGuru.com.

We have a five- to six-foot-high surf today, but the surf will be decreasing.  It is a good time to get out there and hit some of the better spots.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

1/22/25 Report - The Failed Cuzco Mint. Subterranean Passages Found. Civil War Research Resources. Higher Surf.

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

Cuzco 2-Escudo From Sedwick Treasure Auction No. 36.

Huge Ancient Inca Underground Labyrinth Discovered Beneath Cusco, Starting At Sun Temple.

After centuries of rumor and speculation, archaeologists have finally confirmed the existence of a colossal underground tunnel system beneath the Peruvian city of Cusco. Built by the ancient Inca, the labyrinth – or Chincana – radiates outwards from the Temple of the Sun, extending for more than a mile towards a fortress on the edge of the city. 

The discovery was announced at a press conference during which researchers explained how they located the subterranean passages in three stages. The first of these involved studying historical texts from the 16th to 18th centuries in search of references to the Chincana and its whereabouts.

Among the most enlightening accounts was one written by an anonymous Spanish Jesuit in 1594, who explained that the main tunnel ran beneath the bishop’s houses behind Cusco Cathedral. The same text indicated that the passageway began at the Temple of the Sun – or Coricancha – and ended at the citadel of Sacsahuaman, some 1.75 kilometers (1.1 miles) away.

Here is that link.

Huge Ancient Inca Underground Labyrinth Discovered Beneath Cusco, Starting At Sun Temple | IFLScience

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About the Cuzco mint...

Cuzco was authorized to establish a gold mint in 1683 and 1684, but for political and financial reasons, Cuzco was not able to start building a mint until of May of 1697. A year later, with personnel and equipment borrowed from Lima, and dies cut in Lima, Cuzco reported itself ready to strike gold coins, though the mint building itself was far from complete. In June or July Cuzco struck its first coinage, reporting this to Lima in August. Soon thereafter civil unrest broke out in Cuzco, apparently triggered by a mint guard’s assault on a woman, and mint was closed. Late in the year the mint was able to re-open to accomplish two emissions (“dos labores”) that likely represent the bulk of the 1698 gold coinage. In the first half of 1699 the mint was still mostly open, staffed by whom we wonder, but apparently receiving and issuing little or no gold. In August a decision was reached to close the mint, the just completed mint building having been sold to private interests. A small final quantity of gold on hand was minted in September or October, and the Cuzco mint ceased to exist. Gold struck at Cuzco in 1699 apparently used uncorrected 1698 dies. All Cuzco gold bears the assayer’s initial M. It is possible that this is the Lima assayer Melgarejo, but in an autobiographical deposit in 1727, Melgarejo does not mention any service in Cuzco. Also it is very unlikely Melgarejo would have remained available to Cuzco into 1699 or even late 1698. Since most of the assay work for the Cuzco coinage was likely done at the Cuzco foundry, and not at the uncompleted mint, a better candidate for assayer M is the foundry assayer Morocho.

Here is that link.

the Cuzco gold mint 1698-99 Archives - Spanish Colonial Gold & Silver Coins

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One of many Civil War Images from SonsoftheSouth.net Site.
See link below.

Here is a really good web site that provides access to a broad range of resources for historical research on the Civil War.   For example, you will find the contemporary Harper's Weekly issues describing the progress of the war.

Here is the link.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/

I do find it a little difficult to navigate but there is a lot of fascinating information there.

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Fun to watch the misinformation machine go into full overdrive again with all the laughable hair-on-fire laughable claims and statements.

 Stupid never learns.  That is why it is stupid.  

Favorite stooges quote of the day: “I’m tryin’ to think, but nothing happens!”  

But seriously folks, the Bidens, as well as the entire Biden staff are the politest people I've ever seen.  They always say, "Pardon me."

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Source: Surfguru.com.

I heard the wind come through a little after eleven last night.  It has been cool and drizzling.

As you can see, the surf is up and there is a north wind.

I didn't get out to take a look yet, but I'd expect some erosion.

Good hunting,

Treausreguide@comcast.net

1/21/25 Report - Bigger Surf Coming Tonight. History: Battle Hymn of the Republic. More on Cleaning and Tumbling Coins.

 

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

Monday looked like a very beachy day, despite the small surf.  Windy, cool and cloudy is what I like.  At least the sun isn't beating down on you.  My skin was exposed to way too much sun for way too long.  I should have been more careful about that in my younger days.  It can have an accumulative effect that may not show up for years.  

Looks like we'll soon have some bigger surf.  Five to seven feet is decent.  Of course the angles are important too.

DJ sent the following weather advisory.

Northern Brevard Barrier Islands-
337 AM EST Tue Jan 21 2025

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM
EST WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Large breaking waves of 8 to 10 feet expected in the surf
zone tonight. High tide will occur at 130 am Wednesday.

* WHERE...Coastal Volusia, Mainland Northern Brevard and
Northern Brevard Barrier Islands Counties.

* WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...A period of North winds 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts
will produce rough, pounding surf, beach erosion and dangerous
swimming and surfing conditions.

---

Several times yesterday I heard the Battle Hymn of the Republic played by bands.

The lyrics, coupled with a soldiers’ marching tune used during the Civil War, was a great contribution by a very talented lady, born in New York City in 1819.

One day, just outside Washington D.C., Howe, with her husband and some friends, watched as Union soldiers were going through their drills. As they marched they sang a song entitled “John Brown’s Body.” It began, “John Brown’s body lies a mouldering in the grave.” Mrs. Howe, having heard the song prior to that occasion, often prayed that she might write more suitable words for such a lilting, marching tune.

In recounting her songwriting experience she said, “I went to bed that night as usual and slept quite soundly. I awoke in the gray of the morning twilight; and, as I lay waiting for the dawn, the lines of a poem began to float through my mind. Having thought out all the stanzas, I said to myself, ‘I must get up and write these verses down, lest I fall asleep again and forget them.’ So, with a sudden effort, I sprang out of bed and found, in the dimness, an old stump of a pen which I remembered using the day before. I scrawled the verses almost without looking at the paper. I then went back to bed, being very careful not to wake my baby who was sleeping with me.”

Her lyrics, joined to the infectious marching tune, has for 138 years been a fixture in patriotic programs. The song also became a favorite of Abraham Lincoln. On one occasion, it was sung at a large rally attended by Lincoln. After the audience responded with loud applause, the president, with tears in his eyes, cried out, “Sing it again!”...   (Source: Story behind the song: 'Battle Hymn of the Republic')

You often don't hear the words or all the verses and the words are important.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic Lyrics

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:

His truth is marching on.

 

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

 

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,

They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;

I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:

His day is marching on.

 

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

His day is marching on.

 

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:

"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;

Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,

Since God is marching on."

 

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Since God is marching on.

 

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;

He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:

Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!

Our God is marching on.

 

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Our God is marching on.

 

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:

As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,

While God is marching on.

 

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

While God is marching on.

 

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,

He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,

So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,

Our God is marching on.

 

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Our God is marching on.

You will sometimes find it in church hymnals listed as Glory, Glory Halleluiah.

You'll sometimes see different wording for the verse that says, "As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free."  It sometimes reads, "As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free."

In either case, it is a meaningful sentiment.

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A few days ago I reposted some instructions for cleaning coins.  It was a repost from a few years ago.  

Mark G. added the following.

Cleaning my finds has now become just as fun as finding them. I probably watched the same YouTube video as Alberto to clean the coins but I take it a little further with the coins to make them shiny and spendable and also great for cleaning jewelry. I finish with a 1/8” steel shot and jewelry cleaner solution in my tumbler. I’ve turned very corroded silver into shiny jewelry again. Note some are so badly pitted they will never be jewelry again but shiny.

===

I've been tumbling coins for somewhere around forty years, and my tumbler is older than that.  I think I originally got it as a rock tumbler before I began metal detecting.

I've made some mistake with the tumbler.  The worst was an old shipwreck religious medallion that was encrusted and looked like a coin and got tumbled.  Thankfully, I caught it before it was tumbled too much.

I haven't used the tumbler much in recent years.  One reason is that with the automatic pay stations at places like Walmart, Winn-Dixie, etc., I can usually spend the coins uncleaned.  It doesn't matter if they are black or green.  The machines will take them.  

Before that, I often spent my dirty coins in vending machines.  You could insert them, press the coin return button, and receive clean coins in return.   I asked a vending machine fellow once if he cared about dirty coins, and he didn't.

Get bundled up for the weather and go detecting.

You won't find much if you don't hunt.  

Treasureguide@comcast.net