7/3/26 Report - Looking at Changes in Metal Detecting Over the Years. Florida Shark Attacks. Space Weather. More Flat Surf.

Have you ever wondered about the future of metal detecting?  I've been detecting for a few decades now, but I wouldn't say it has changed a lot since I began.  I'm sure some of you will disagree with that.   It takes a good bit to impress me.

The metal detectors are better today.  And there are more detectorists today than there once was.  A lot of targets have been removed, but here is continual replacement.  Whether there is less or more to find out there today, I can't say, but there have been changes of type.  Some of the accumulated coins of early days have been removed and coins in general are less used today.

I'd say the biggest difference is the vast amount and ease of accessing information today.  There is so much information out there.  In the past, you either had to subscribe to a magazine, buy books or join a club to get a lot of information.  And many of the best detectorists of past decades were very secretive.  You might never see them. And they'd often provide disinformation unless you were an especially trusted friend.

One of the unintended consequences of metal detecting being more public is the increase in laws against it.  There can be benefits to flying under the radar.  

Before you try to project to the future, you might first look at the past and present to identify trends - if there are any.  Eventually I hope to give you some far-out possibilities, as well as some changes that you might more expect.

In a very general sense, I don't think metal detecting has changed a lot over the past forty or fifty years.  Metal detectors have been around quite a while but weren't used much for treasure hunting until mid-20th century, after which they became common.  I bought my first serious detector (a White's) from a Sears catalog.  Of course, many of those metal detector companies, such as Whites and Tesoro are now out of business, while some newer metal detector companies have thrived.

I can't deny the advances in metal detector technology, but the basic form and function of treasure hunting metal detectors hasn't changed much.  We're still walking around swinging a coil on a rod.  The basic scoop has been improved upon, but in my estimation, we're still digging up targets in very much the same way.

For decades I saw metal detector ads saying something like, "See what's in the ground before you dig it."  Maybe it's just me but that kind of language made me think of a detailed enough image to be able to say what the item is.  We now have data to help us decide what is in the ground, but there is still a lot and I do mean a LOT of uncertainty.  It isn't what I think of when I hear about "seeing" something. Maybe I expect way too much, but I thought that was the promise, yet after some decades, the amount of uncertainty about undug objects is still pretty great, and you don't even know how great for the items you don't dig.

Think about way shipwreck salvage is done.  One of the most impactful innovations was the blower, and blowers have been around little changed for decades.  

SCUBA was the BIG innovation early 1940s although it wasn't patented until 1948.  Both SCUBA and metal detector development occurred back during World War II.  Seems like it takes the urgency of a war to inspire innovation on that level.  Maybe you can point to bigger and more impactful innovations, but those stick out to me.

Of course, before that was the diving bell, leading to manned submersibles, both tethered and untethered, followed by remote controlled submersible drones.

The internet had a large impact even for before and after the hunt, as has AI, which has yet to be largely integrated with detector technology.  

It can take a long time for innovations to be refined and widely adopted.  I have textbooks on AI published in the 1970s and 1980s, but it wasn't until much more recently that it became widely used.  The internet has been widely used by detectorists and treasure hunters for decades now, while AI is being adopted and shows much promise for the future.

In future posts, I'll speculate about future changes that I think are real possibilities.

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Lulu Gribbin was 15 when she survived a shark attack off the coast of Florida. She lost her left hand, part of her right leg and almost her life.

What she didn’t know when she entered the water on that day in 2024 was that another woman had been bitten by a shark 90 minutes earlier and just 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) down the beach. Had she known about the earlier attack, there is no way she would have been swimming, she said.

Gribbin’s story has inspired new federal legislation to authorize emergency alerts to mobile phones to warn beachgoers when a shark has bitten someone in the area...

Here is an interesting article even though it isn't directly on metal detecting. I certainly don't agree with all of it, but I think it is worth consideration.

The legislation, which Gribbin advocated for, authorizes the warnings by classifying a shark attack as an event for which an emergency alert can be issued. It is up to states to implement the warnings.

Here is the source link for that story.

Alabama teen's shark attack inspires national alert system | AP News

By the way, Sharknado has been on TV recently.  Amazing what celebrities will do for some cash.

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Here is an interesting article.  I don't agree with a lot of it, but it does bring up issues that should be considered.

Humanity has chosen to become idiots: This Brown professor switched to take-hom Ie exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating

It is worth thinking about certain issues no matter whether you are agree with the expressed opinions or not.

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4TH OF JULY AURORA WATCH: Fireworks won't be the only light show this weekend if space weather forecasters are correct. Auroras could appear, too. CMEs are expected to hit Earth on July 3rd and July 5th, sparking consecutive nights of G2-class (Moderate) geomagnetic storms. There's a chance the storms could escalate to category G3 (Strong). If so, auroras would descend to mid-latitudes in the USA and Europe. CME impact alerts: SMS Text.

GIANT SUNSPOT TOO BIG FOR CAMERAS: Sunspot 4478 is so big, astrophotographer Thierry Legault could fit only half of it in his camera's field of view. Even that much is big enough to swallow Earth (insert for scale):

Here is that link.

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroiHeds

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Can you believe I watched more soccer last week in one hour than I watched the entire rest of my life, and I did it voluntarily!  After the world cup I'll probably never watch an entire match again.

I don't like how they fall on the ground and act like they are dying every time they get bumped or kicked in the shin.  And I didn't thnk grabbing jersey's was such an important part of soccer.  

I find myself rooting for anyone who can score a point. Now I know why a GOOOAAALLL is such a big deal.  Scores are so rare, and I'm a person that loves defense in American football.  

Anyhow, the World Cup has been kind of fun, but the games are only a small part of it.

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Nothing showing on the NHC Atlantic map.

The upcoming week will have nothing but one foot or less surf along the Treasure Coast.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/1/26 Report - Jupiter Island at Risk of Breaking. Elongated Penny Metal Detector Find and Collecting. Clump in Progress.

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

Jupiter Island.

Coastal erosion and flooding, exacerbated by sea level rise, threatens homes and wildlife on Jupiter Island, one of the most affluent beachfront neighborhoods in the country.

Most of Jupiter Island, south of the St. Lucie Inlet, is considered critically eroded for more than 11 miles, according to an inventory of eroded Florida shorelines by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The erosion is severe enough to potentially "break through Jupiter Island" at a narrow isthmus at Peck Lake outside of town limits, DEP predicted...

Here is the link.

Florida island, home to celebrities, could be 'broken' by erosion - AOL

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Dug Pressed Penny from Frontier Land Machine.

On the end table beside my bed, along with a miscellaneous variety of other small metal detector finds was this tarnished discolored souvenir pressed penny from the Magic Kingdom.  It has been sitting there for a while, but this morning it caught my attention when I realized I knew where it came from.  I've seen the machine that made it.  In fact, the last time I was in the Country Bear Musical Jamboree lobby, I saw some grandparents with their grandchildren getting some made.  But the one above is an older version made a few decades ago before traveling from the Magic Kingdom to one of our beaches before it was lost.  

Pressed pennies are considered to be a type of exonumia.  By one account, the first was made in 1893 at the Chicago's World's Fair.  Reportedly some can bring thousands of dollars.  Even though they make a nice collectible, most aren't worth much more than you'd pay to have them made.  

With pennies disappearing from pocket change, the machines will probably start accepting other coins or make other changes but will undoubtedly survive.

Characteristics of the most valuable.

• Historical significance and rarity
• Condition and preservation quality
• Unique or limited-edition designs
• Provenance from famous locations
• Complete collections or sets

Devaluing factors.

• Common designs from popular tourist locations
• Poor condition or damage
• Modern zinc cents (less desirable than copper)
• Overproduction of certain designs

Here are a couple links for a little more about pressed penny collectibles.

The Hidden Value of Elongated Pennies: Are These Souvenir Coins Worth Collecting? - Home of the Coin Rings made from Silver Proof Coins

Are Elongated Coins Legal To Make? Legal To Spend? | U.S. Coins Guide

If you are really interested in elongated coins, here is the link to The Elongated Collectors News.

The Elongated Collectors

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Shell Conglomerate Containing Unidentified Metal Item.

I'm still working on cleaning this clump to expose the metal.  I soaked it in vinegar for at least twelve hours and made very little additional progress.  That is how micro fossils are sometimes found too.

I searched for microfossils in the past but found it too tedious for my liking.  I do think I might see a small fossil in this clump, but will have to put it under the microscope to get a better look.

This is something I'd use Muriatic acid on now if it had some at home.  As it stands, I might end up just breaking open the clump.  It is very hard.

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I just noted over half a million views on the treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com site last month (June).

Nothing new with the tropical weather or surf predictions.

Looks like more of the same.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

6/30/26 Report - Doubled Die Error Coin. Strike-Through Errors. Strawberry Moon. Another Killed by Alligator.

 

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

This Peace dollar has a doubled die error.  It isn't common to find silver dollars along the Treasure Coast where it is more likely that you'll find a Spanish reale, but like any other U.S. coins, has its share of price increasing mint errors to seek.  After seeing this one I think I'll have to get my Peace dollars and see if I have any of these 1934 error coins.

The above picture shows where to look to check for the double die error on the 34 Peace dollar.  But double die errors aren't easy to identify.  That is my opinion.  If you look at the coin forums, when people ask if their example is a double die error, most of the time it it not.  Most of the time, what they are seeing is what is called machine doubling.  

A true doubled die error coin is caused by a misalignment in the die-making process (hub doubling), where the die itself is struck twice at slightly different angles or positions. This happens during the hubbing stage, so every coin struck by that die will show the same doubling.

Machine doubling (the thing that causes some coins to look like doule die error coins) is caused by a loose or worn die that “bounces” or shifts slightly during the striking process. This results in a blurred, smudged, or smeared doubling effect, often with less definition than a true doubled die.

Here is a link to a site that will explain more about that and give you examples of both types of coin.

Machine Doubling vs. Double Die Coins: Here's How To Tell The Difference Between Valuable Doubled Dies vs. Machine Doubling Coins Which Are Not So Valuable | U.S. Coins Guide

For more about the Peace dollar doubled die obversed

1934 D Peace Silver Dollar Doubled Die Obverse Coin Value Prices, Photos & Info

I recommend checking your coin finds and pocket change for error coins.  Valuable ones aren't easy to find, but it happens.  There are also many mint errors that are worth a bit of a premium but not a lot.

Here is an example of an error coin that I found.  It is a strike-through error that might be of some interest to a collector but probably not a lot.

Something was on the planchet when the coin was struck, leaving the depression you can see running from bottom left and up the ST in STATES.  I've found a few strike-through errors, which you have to distinguish from post mint damage (damage done to coins after the minting process).

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I'm working on this conglomerate to see what might be inside.  So far, I've not made a lot of progress.

Of course, I'm trying the least destructive methods of cleaning first, but might end up cracking it open.

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A 31-year-old woman was killed by an alligator while swimming in a river in Florida, officials said.

The victim, her boyfriend and her best friend were hiking on Sunday when they stopped to swim in the Econlockhatchee River in Seminole County, just north of Orlando, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

They were in about 3 feet of water when an alligator bit the victim on both arms, FWC spokesperson Chad Weber said...

For more about that...

Woman killed by alligator while swimming with boyfriend, best friend

I've run into alligators in the Indian River.  One surprised me pretty good.  All I saw at first was a golden eye sticking out of the muck.   I almost ran into him.

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Known as the Strawberry Moon, the first full Moon of the summer will be the lowest-hanging Moon until 2043, which will also make it appear to be larger than usual.

A phenomenon called the Moon illusion makes the Moon seem bigger when it is close to the horizon due to its relative size compared to objects in the distance like trees and buildings.

June’s Strawberry Moon is always the lowest of the year, though this one comes at the low point of an 18.6-year cycle of extreme rising and setting points...

Here is the link for the rest of that article.

The moon is about to do something that it won’t do again until 2043

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The full moons are giving us some nice negative low tides.

Nothing significant on the National Hurricane Center Atlantic map now.

Nothing big with the surf predictions either.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Thos

6/29/26 Report - Recent Finds. Old Books and Cartography. Coca Cola Bottle Dating Chart.

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

I haven't been out to the beach hardly at all this summer but finally got out early enough to beach the midday heat.  This is one thing I found.  It fooled me.

It has a gold tint to it but when I picked it up, it felt to light for gold, so I thought it must be junk, but when I got it under magnification, I could see the mark that reads, 925 MADE IN ITALY  MILOR.  The links are evidently hollow, which makes it lighter.  It must be vermeil or have an alloy that accounts for the goldish color.

The safety clasp that you normally see on good items should have tipped me off to the item not being complete junk.  You can see the post for it in the above photo.

In a dip in the shallow water, I also picked up an encrusted item that I'll have to investigate.  I'll start taking the crust off to see what is inside.

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If you want to find old maps or other good information, check out old books.  Christies has a current auction on books and manuscripts, including cartography.

Here is an example.

I've found a few good old books and maps in thrift stores in the past.

Here is the link for the auction lots.

Valuable Books and Manuscripts including Cartography

And here is a link to a post I did showing some more examples and giving a link to the University of Florida web site where you can find digital images of more old maps.

The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 6/26/12 Report - Old Florida Maps & Tropical Storm Debby

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Here is a recent link to an article on collecing Coca Cola bottles.  Just an introductory thing.  Not much detail.

Vintage Coke bottles are worth way more than you may have thought

Here is a link to an old post I did on that.

The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 11/26/16 Report - An Excellent Aid For Dating Sites From The Late 19th Century.

In that post, I showed this handy chart for dating Coca Cola bottles.

The chart is from a 2010 article by the Society for Historical Archaeology entitled The Dating Game: Tracking the Hobble-Skirt Coca-Cola Bottle by Bill Lockhart and Bill Porter.

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Nothing interesting on the current National Hurricane Center Atlantic map.

No new changes on the surf charts for the Treasure Coast either.

Expect more of the same this week.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.netn.

6/28/26 Report - Aestel from Galloway Hoard and Other Antiquities. Academics Study Treasure Hunting.

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

Found by Detectorists as Part of the Galloway Hoard
  Currently Offered in Christies Auction of Antiquities.

You can learn a lot from auctions especially those like this Christies auction that offers an extensive collection of fine and varied antiquities.  Not only can you learn to identify many different kinds of finds but you will also see what they might be worth at auction.

Astels are thought to be pointers or handles, sometimes described as manuscript pointers, however there are examples that suggest other uses.  You might recognize this one as part of the Galloway Hoard found by Rob, Paul and Robin while using their XP Deus detectors in North Yorkshire.

This one has an auction estimate of 16 to 18 thousand British pounds.

This find is listed in the PAS database.  You can find it using this link and then scrolling down.

Search results from the database Page: 1

This auction ad reads as follows. 

From a Greek helmet to a dinosaur skull: wonders of ancient civilisations and the natural world

Offered online during Classic Week in London is a new auction, Ancient Wonders: Antiquities and Natural History, spanning four millennia of human achievement and 2.5 billion years of Earth’s history. Highlights include a Triceratops skull more than two metres long and an Anglo-Saxon treasure discovered by a metal detectorist...

Below is another example you will find when browsing the auction lots.

Here is the link to the auction if you want to see more treasures of this quality.

Explore Ancient Wonders: Antiquities and Natural History | Christie's

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There are several articles written by psychologists or anthropologists on treasure hunters, their characteristics and what distinguishes treasure hunters from the general population.  Having started out my professional career as a college psychology teacher and having spent many years practicing and writing about treasure hunting, I've thought about it quite a bit, conducted a few polls and written about it some.

Psychology professor Allen King performed a peer-reviewed study about these treasure hunters. He identified over 400,000, although his research was based on a much smaller group. Around three-fourths are male, and many are natural risk-takers. It’s the challenge and the striving with a clear sense of purpose that attracts them. They like the feeling of mastery when they link a clue to something that moves them a step closer to the goal (“Hey, a guy named Brown lived in that house!”). The problem is that they could be wrong about their interpretations, which, like Seyler, moves them closer to missing the fortune.  (Why Would People Push Themselves to Emotional Turmoil to Find Buried Treasure? | Psychology Today)

The next one is hard to read and starts out with the typical archaeologist's perception of treasure hunters as being primarily motivated to get rich quick but eventually it gets into something more worthwhile (if you can wade through the heavy academic jargon).

The author who focuses on hunters seeking antiquities brings came to see treasure hunting as an exercise in reviving historical (he calls it spectral) memory.  

Here is the link.

Seeking Ever-Elusive Treasures: Reflections on Collective Memory and Spectrality of the Past - Anthropology News

And here is one that focuses on the attraction of one particular type of treasure - crystals.

Rockhounding and Our Primordial Fascination With Crystals | Psychology Today

Below is a brief excerpt from that one.

Sam, a retired mining engineer, described being fascinated by rocks since early childhood. He told me, “As a kid, all I really wanted to do was analyze my rocks…I analyzed everything imaginable...I’m pretty much of a seeker, a looker, an analyst.” (S. Dunaway, personal communication, April 4, 2026). He described an innate satisfaction in searching and digging for rocks that people, even small children, enjoy for hours. They like turning over things on the ground and finding unique, interesting, and pretty pieces. Visits to the mine are filled with surprises. Sam marveled at how people love to tell the stories of finding their treasures.

I've shown some crystals found in Florida. We have those nice fossil shells.

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BIG ASTEROID FLYBY THIS WEEKEND: Earth is in a shooting gallery, and this weekend you can watch one of the bullets streak by. On Saturday, June 27th, a kilometer-class asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth in more than 400 years--close enough to see in a backyard telescope. Full story and sky maps @Spaceweather.com.

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One reader identified my recent mystery find as a cribbage board.  Thanks much

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NHC.NOAA.org.

Here is the current National Hurricane Center map.  A little development but nothing interesting.

The surf will get up to around two feet later next week.

Very few people on the hot beach this morning.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

6/26/26 Report - New Coins Released to Circulation. Legal Treasure Battles. Hobnails, Heel and Toe Boot Plates.

The U.S. Mint is releasing a slew of coins with rare designs for America's 250th anniversary, including a newly announced 25-cent piece that gives Americans “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discover a piece of history in everyday transactions.”

Only 250,000 of the Semiquincentennial 2026 Declaration of Independence Quarters pictured below will be randomly released into circulation. They’ll sport a “July 4th” privy mark.

“This is more than a coin; it’s a defining moment in our nation’s story,” Mint Director Paul Hollis said in a press release. “We hope Americans enjoy the search for these iconic quarters as they’re meant to be shared, saved, and remembered as part of this historic anniversary.”

The special privy mark will be found to the left of President Thomas Jefferson on the face of the Declaraion of Independenc Quarters that are being minted this year. On the reverse of these quarters, you’ll see the Liberty Bell, complete with its iconic crack that echoes “the fragility of a young nation at its founding.”

The quarters are being sent to banks and financial institutions throughout the U.S. and will be available before July 4, according to the U.S. Mint...

Here is the link for more about that.

Check your quarters: Rare 'July 4th' coins entering circulation

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More than a year after a Texas treasure hunter accused his former financial backer of cutting him out of a multibillion dollar shipwreck treasure, the legal battle over what could be one of the most valuable treasure finds in modern history has returned to federal court.

Allen's attorneys responded that the online discussions are irrelevant to the central dispute, arguing the case instead turns on whether Porter used "non-public portions of Marx's research" that Allen Exploration purchased and owned...

Here is the link to read more about that suite which centers on the Nuestra Senor de las Maravillas lying in Bahamian waters.

A real-life $5B treasure hunt is back in a Texas courtroomA real-life $5B treasure hunt is back in a Texas courtroom

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Oftentimes, the leather part of Roman-era shoes decays, leaving only the hobnails, or short nails with thick heads, for archaeologists to find. But here, a sole has survived with its hobnails.

"Hobnails were used by the Romans to improve the durability of their footwear and to provide increased traction especially in muddy areas or places with rough terrain,"...

Here is the link to the article which shoes a variety of archeologically recovered old shoes.

15 old shoes found in archaeological excavations around the world, including at Roman forts | Live Science

I've dug metal shoe parts, including shoe buttons or hooks, eyelets, tacks and heel plates or toe tips.  I have couple that are "pssibles."  I'm not sure what they are.

The ones I've found are more like those on the right.  They are crescent shape.

Below is a good link for more historic information on taps or cleats, including military boots.

Evolution of the MTI and Air Force Basic Training

I've found some on an 18th century site.  I'll have to so some more research on those.

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Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

6/25/26 Report - Nice Lady's Leg Bottle Find. Medieval Game Board. Dust Cloud Supressing Tropical Development.

 

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

Beauty doesn't scream.  It doesn't have to.  You can't help but be absorbed into it, like the subtle hint of a totally confident smile dominates an entire room.  You want a name, but the smile makes it unnecessary.

Wait a minute.  You aren't on the wrong site.  I'm just playing around.

Above is an attractive dark green applied-lip blown bottle find.  The "ladys-leg" neck shows several long stretch bubbles.  The nicely proportioned barrel seems to taper ever so slightly.  There is no embossed name, but there are some hidden hints begging to be interpreted.

Here is the bottom of the bottle.

You can see a rather clear symbol that looks like maybe a plus or X and opposite that a very faint O or something.  

If the signs and symbols are correctly interpreted, I'd say this is a 1850–1870 American whiskey bottle from a small regional glasshouse

The dark olive-green base is a classic whisky color. The lady's leg is typical 1840 - 1870 era. The 13-inch height and four-inch base is also standard for a whiskey. On the bottom you can see a post-mold tooling scar. The plus sign, or whatever it is, is probably a hand-engraved mold cutter's mark, and the O, a mold identifier.

As I've learned more about bottles, I've begun to pay more attention to the bottoms. The bottom tells you more about the glass bottle maker rather than the product or company that sells the product.

The more you learn about things, the more you pay attention to subtlties that you never noticed or focused on before. It could be bottles, coins or whatever.

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Above is a "game board" was found in a medieval Morrocan Bathhouse. I'm always skeptical when a vague find is described as a game piece or anything like that. It just seems to easy to call something a game when you don't know what its utilitarian purpose might be.

Here is the link to the article.

News - Medieval Game Board Identified in Moroccan Bathhouse - Archaeology Magazine

Speaking of game boards, I've had this one (if that is what it is) for a long time and don't have any idea about it.  

Game Board (?) with Quarter for Comparison.

This is heavy 2-inch-thick wood.  It weighs ten pounds and wouldn't be easily knocked over.  It seems to be made for pegs maybe.

I don't have any idea what game would be played on it or what it is.

Any ideas?

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I have a product recommendation. I had to cut a fitting off a hose and when I did that I cut into the metal hose screw end. I filled the cut with JB Weld, which did a great job. It filled the hole and is holding up very well under usage. It comes in various forms for different purposes. The next time I have to fix a rod assembly or something on a metal detector, I'll think about using that product.

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A huge cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert is set to engulf southeastern regions of the US in the coming days after travelling across the Atlantic, forecasters have said.

The Saharan air layer has carried sand and dust thousands of miles across the ocean, moving through the Caribbean and into parts of Florida.

Meteorologists say the Atlantic drift will create an environment hostile to the development of hurricanes, injecting dry air into the atmosphere and leading to high temperatures.

Miami-Dade county issued a warning over harmful particles potentially affecting air quality across the region to remain in effect until 3pm Eastern Time on Tuesday. It covers inland areas of Miami-Dade county, including Miami, Florida City and Hialeah...

Here is the link for more about that.

Massive Saharan dust cloud to sweep across US in days

Nothing has changed with the surf or beach conditions.  No tropical developments.  Just the same old flat surf.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

UnitedGlassBottle.pdf

6/24/26 Report - Another Cannonball Unearthed. Views and Thinking About Metal Detecting and Other Things.

 

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

SAN ANTONIO - Archaeologists working at the The Alamo uncovered a second intact cannonball tied to the Battle of the Alamo era, a discovery that came just months after the first find and deepened what researchers describe as an unusually rare excavation streak at the site.

The latest cannonball was unearthed on June 2 during ongoing digs near the northeast corner of the Alamo Church, in nearly the same area where a previous artifact surfaced on March 5, just ahead of the 190th anniversary of the battle.

Both objects were found at roughly the same depth, preserved in what archaeologists call undisturbed soil layers...

Here is the link for the rest of the article.

News - Second Cannonball Unearthed at The Alamo - Archaeology Magazine

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I like thinking and talking about metal detecting.  Metal detecting is just like life in general.  It is a subset.  The big principles are the same. 

Your views create a lot of your reality.  In many cases your views end up being self-fulfilling prophecies.  

To give an example, if you don't think you will find anything, you won't go out, and as a result you won't likely find anything.  If you think you will find something nice, there is a much better chance that you will make it happen.  You will make a good effort.  The more you believe, the more likely you will be to stick at it until you succeed.  

Many people believe that they are lucky or unlucky.  That view will affect what choices you make and your actions and that will to some extent determine what happens.  

The view itself can be part of the punishment or reward.  The effect of viewing yourself as unlucky or incapable is destructive in itself.  It puts you in a bad place and colors your world.

A particular view or expectation might not be correct, but some views are overall more productive and rewarding (in multiple ways) than others. Some can be very destructive.  They are bad bets in the cosmic gambling casino.  

Our expectations determine what we will do.  When we put our foot on the brake pedal we expect the car to stop. When our expectations are off, we can have a problem.  When our expectations are consistently off, a adjustment of views is needed.  Failing to make adjustments can be disastrous, yet there is often a stubborn commitment to ineffective views and actions.  Change is often needed.  

Change can be interesting and fun.  It can be a temporary experiment or become a long-term thing.  I suggest doing a lot of experimenting with your metal detecting.  It can pay off in the long run.

There is a lot of information out there these days, but I recommend proving it out for yourself.  It means more that way.  You understand it better, and it will be specific to you and your equipment and situation.

People assume that the detector they got is exactly like every other detector of the same type, but there are differences.  I once got a second coil of the same type, but there were differences between the two.  Quality control is not always 100% not to mention updates, change in part sourcing, differences in your ground conditions etc., etc.  It is personal.

There was a time when my metal detecting was more about the objects. The objects were the catalyst and objectification or test of the ideas.  The thought process is the most important part of metal detecting.

If you watch the Skinwalker Ranch program (assuming it isn't all fraud) they are forming an object by conducting tests.  One object is known as the blob.  It is not directly observed with the natural senses but indirectly observed through test results. You might say that metal detector finds are observed indirectly through the metal detector until they are dug. The metal detector technology extends our senses.

I would have liked to have had their EEG equipment back in the 1970s. The one I used had to be connected by wires and electrodes pasted to the subject.  Much less portable and convenient.

What I like about the Skinwalker program, is that instead of jumping to one conclusion, they offered four possible interpretations of the unexpected EEG results unlike the Oak Island program where they get stuck going down one path even when it requires an absolutely ridiculous interpretation. 

But what I was going to say is that the bubble and blob are being defined by the measurements or observations being made.  I better quit there.  I'm tempted to get into Operationism and Quantum physics, but that isn't where I intended to go when I started this post.  When I started this post I was going to talk about remote viewing, but now that will have wait for some other time.  I danced all around it but never got to it.  

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Some have already decided unidentified aerial phenomena prove extraterrestrial visitation. Others insist every report is nonsense or simple misidentification. Neither position reflects disciplined analysis. Good intelligence work begins neither with belief nor disbelief. It begins with evidence...

A question bigger than science

That is why today's debate is not fundamentally about unidentified flying objects. It is about how we determine what is true. Science explains observable phenomena remarkably well, but it cannot answer questions of ultimate meaning. Those questions lead us into philosophy, and ultimately, theology.

Former Pentagon strategist says America is asking the wrong question about UAPs | Fox News

I highly recommend reading this article.

Start with the right question if you want a good answer.  Too often the question all but eliminates many good possibilities.

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Nothing new with either the National Hurricane Atlantic map or the surf charts for the Treasure Coast.

There will be a slightly negative morning low tide.

The wind is from the west and keeping the surf flat.  It should be a good year for salvage diving as well as shallow water metal detecting.

The Sahara dust is evidently suppressing tropical development.  I think I posted an article on that.

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“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust

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Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

6/23/26 Report - Plunging Gold and Silver Prices. Treasure Island. New Morgan and Peace Dollars.

 

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

Here is the ten-year gold price chart.  Gold prices are way down from the peak back in January.  Still, looking at the ten-year chart, it is still high compared to most of that time period.

If you knew what would happen next, you'd could make a lot of money.  It seems the markets (both stock and commodities) are determined a lot by the daily news.  That makes it tough to guess what will happen next.  At around 10AM this morning, it was down another $45 or so for the day.

Anyhow, the prices have come down a lot this year so far.  Silver has also fallen.

If you check the percentage change for the different time periods, they are different but have generally changed in the same direction.

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What book ends with the exclamation, "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!"

If you don't know, maybe you could guess.

It is 

Treasure Island.

It was published in 1882, but the one above is a later copy that I had.  This edition was published in 1955.  I don't think it had any effect on my treasure hunting interests, but it sometimes said to have inspired an interest in treasure hunting,

It is 283 pages and very well written.  I can't imagine kids today reading it.  Way too many other easy distractions.  I just took another look at it, and it is very well-written - almost too well written to be a more modern publication.

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The United States Mint will release the 206 Morgan Silver Dollar Reverse Proof Coin and the 2026 Morgan Dollar Reverse Proof Coin on July 9, 2026, at noon Eastern Time.

This year, collectors will not need to wait for the later two-coin set to buy either coin. Instead, the Mint will offer the Morgan and Peace Reverse Proof Dollars as separate products on the same day. Each coin carries a price of $173. Each also carries a household order limit of 10. That change matters...

Here is the link for more about that.

2026 Morgan and Peace Reverse Proof Dollars: 250th Anniversary Silver Coins Arrive July 9

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Nothing new on the NHC or map or the SurfGuru surf chart.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

6/22/26 Report - Summer FUN Show July 9 - 11 in Orlando. Sedwick Seeking Consignments. Hot Weather.

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

Clip from Jensen Beach Web Cam Near Noon Monday.

Few people are braving the mid-day sun to enjoy the newly replenished Treasure Coast beaches.  

One way to metal detect comfortably in the heat is step out into the shallow water.  Better yet, put on a snorkel and stick your head in.  The surf is so nice and smooth that is easy to get out a little deeper with your submersible metal detector.  If you normally walk around with your head out of the water, you'll enjoy the underwater sights.  You might even see a small gold chain or something.  You might even see a ten- or twenty-dollar bill on the bottom or floating by.  I've experienced both and I've talked about one location off a popular big South Florida resort where the bills will often settle in a dip.

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From Sedwick...

The FUN Summary Show 2026, Olrando, Florida from July 9 to 11, 2026... will provide excellent opportunities to meet with collectors, dealers, researchers, and friends from the international numismatic community.... We (Sedwicks) look forward to seeing many of you in Madrid and at FUN this summer, and to sharing news, updates, and highlights from Sedwick & Associates.

--- No developoments on the Atlantic National Hurricane Center map. No changes in beach conditions.   The low tides aren't that big now. Good hunting, Treasureguide@commcast.net

6/20/26 Report - Artifacts from Battle of Bunker Hill Recovered. Item Photos and Data for Context.

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

Musket Ball Found at Bunker Hill
Clipped from Fox News video (link below)

Inspired by a centuries-old map, archaeologists have been digging in the park that sits on the site where American patriots hastily constructed an earthen fort to slow advancing British forces at what became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

Ground-penetrating radar identified potential locations for the fort in Boston's Charlestown section. Soon after digging the first trench, the team... found definitive signs of a ditch constructed hours before the battle on June 17, 1775...

So far, the dig has uncovered musket balls and parts of a musket from the battle. They also found objects likely left behind by British troops who occupied the area after the battle — including tea cups, tobacco pipes, sleeve buttons and a wig curler. There were nearly 150 combatants who died there but no human remains have been found, though a forensic archaeologist is on site to identify any bones...

One volunteer held in her hand two jagged stones — the gray one was an English gun flint while a beige one was a French gun flint...

They also found eight marble-sized musket balls from both sides in the battle. The markings and shape of some bullets showed they had been fired from a distance but didn't hit anyone. If they had, the balls would have been deformed.

“You can see the ramrod mark from when the soldier rammed it down. You can the little ring on the top where it was pushed down” ... “marks on the edge of the ball” show that it had been fired.

Here is the link for the entire article.

Archaeologists find musket balls and fort linked to the Battle of Bunker Hill - ABC News

And here is a video of the dig.

Archaeologists digging for history at Bunker Hill ahead of America 250 | Fox News

I never looked for ram rod marks.  I'll do that.  

One thing that caught my attention was the picture that shows a musket ball being held between the fingers of a gloved archaeologist.  Although that is how I often show artifacts in this blog, it is not how artifacts from archaeological digs are usually shown. They are shown with a measure or grid.  I know that it has become more common to show metal detected artifacts in hand but it has not always been that way.  In fact, early in this blog, reader's often suggested showing a coin for size comparison, which was the preferred way to show dug items in forums before that.  

I haven't always been careful to compose my images.  I often neglected to show any good indicator of size.  I did often how items in hand, which gives some idea of size, even if it is not precise.  For international readers who are more comfortable with the metric system, our rulers require conversion and our coins aren't as familiar.  Being lazy, impatient or short on time, is my excuse.  I simply don't always devote a lot of time to the composition of the images I use. 

Showing items in hand isn't bad, even if it might not be the best.  It is important to provide accurate measurements if you want help with ID.  That is a slightly different matter.

Hand images do provide some idea of size even though hand sizes vary, but it also adds a human context.  It shows the item not as something on a shelf or in a sterile laboratory.  It shows the item as someone's discovery - as they often say, being touched and seen for the first time in how many ever years.

Since archaeologists so often show items with a grid, the picture made me wonder if there is someting of a trend to show objects in hand.  I'm always interested in trends in communication.  I just find it interesting.  For example, one current trend is saying "thank you so much" instead of simply thank you.  Obama's "existential threats" was picked up almost immediately and continues strong.  I've commented on that one before.  For a while everybody was talking about "cognitive dissonance." 

It seems that the more popular a term becomes, the farther it strays from the original definition and accurate usage.  "Cognitive dissonance" has strayed far from how it was defined in Leon Festinger's seminal experiments.  It became almost meaningless and thankfully is now seldom used in the media.

Expressions that become popular or trendy like that are thrown around until they have almost no meaning.  They become all about form and lose all substance.  

Do you know what this is?  Take a guess.

It is a Boy Scouts of America lapel pin.

I used the image without any indication of size intentionally this time just to make ID a little more difficult.  It is small - perhaps smaller than you might guess. 

Here are three old finds in hand.  They give some idea of size.  They are all pretty small. 

Not only does the size of the hand and fingers provide some context, but so does the texture of the hand and picture.  Now you have an idea of how small the lapel pin is.

Handy Ruler with Slider.

There are any number of rulers and grids that can be used. the one above shows inches and has a nice slider that helps a bit. There might be times when you have the metric units too.

Here is the little silver ring on the ruler.  This image isn't ideal either. but you can get a better idea of its size.  

Looks like about 11/16 inch.

So there are multiple ways to provide visual context for finds.  Select the one that is right for the purpose.

Remember that for item ID, someone just seeing a photo will not have all the details or context you have, so you might need to provide the details.

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Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

That is a flat surf.

No change there.

No tropical weather showing on the Atlantic NHC map now.

The low tides aren't very big today.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net