8/3/26 Report - New Quarter Strike-Through. 3-Year-Old Picks up 3800-Year-Old Amulet. Spanish Colonial Archaeological. Internet Resource.

 

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

Quarter Showing Strike-through Error.

The first of five newly designed quarters to celebrate the USA’s 250th anniversary, this coin features a Pilgrim couple facing West on the front, or obverse. The Mayflower ship, on which early English settlers journeyed in search of religious freedom, is the design featured on the back (reverse).


Known as a “struck-through,” the newly discovered error occurred on the obverse of the Mayflower Compact quarter. It appears as an incuse impression between God and we in the motto in God we trust and between the dual dates of 1776 and 2026...


The error, which you can see in the photo above, was likely caused by a piece of debris stuck to the die.

Here is the link for the rest of the article.

2026 Mayflower Compact Quarter Features Unexpected Error - Numismatic News

Here is the most obvious of several strike-through error coins I've found

It is easy to mistake a strike-through error with post mint damage, but damage that occurs to the coin after it leaves the mind is just damage.  It takes careful inspection.  Microscopic inspection of post mint damage will often show a ridge around an impression because the metal from the indentation will be displaced.  If you take an object and heavily scratch a coin, for example, you will be able to see where the metal from the dip is moved to.  That will be typically to the edge just outside the dip.  You won't see that if it was done when the die hit the planchet.

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A three-year-old picked up one stone that caught her attention of the thousands of stones in the surroundings.  It was later identified as a 3800-year-old scarab amulet.

Here is the link for the story about that.

Toddler Discovers 3,800-Year-Old Egyptian Amulet While Hiking With Her Family in Israel

You'll might see other stories about the same event, such as the MSN one, that shows a totally different scarab stone in the lead photo.  They do that all the time, and I've complained about it before.

In the past, I sometimes didn't realize their photos were just selected to grab attention and didn't really show the subject of the article.  I was probably fooled a number of times.  Now I know that their photos are often very inaccurate and misleading.  The description under the photo will often be very vague and provide a hint that the photo has nothing to do with the actual story.

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I just discovered an interesting web site.  I found it when searching for pictures of Spanish Colonial artifacts.  The site does have a lot of pictures of artifacts, but it also a presents archaeological articles related to Spanish colonial finds in the Southern U.S.  It author of the site is an archaeologithest who shares many of the ideas concerning archaeology that I've expressed in the Treasure Beaches Report.

You may not remember my posts criticizing archaeology, including their attitude towards treasure hunting and the public in general.  From what I've seen so far, the author of the site shares many of my thoughts and values on the topic. 

Here is a link to one old post in which I expressed some of my criticisms and suggestions. 

  The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 2/25/18 Report - The Problem With Archaeology: The Perspective of a Supportive Citizen.  

Since I started expressed those thoughts, I've have noticed some positive trends.  I can only hope I had some small effect on that.  

Archaeology now sometimes uses metal detectors and even employs metal detecting clubs to survey some sites.  There was a time when there were very few that would admit the value of using metal detectors at all.  Treasure hunters and detectorists were described as looters and the value of metal detector surveys was not generally admitted.

The site I just discovered is "Archaeology Ink" which presents many articles written by, Caleb Curren, an archaeologist who focuses on Spanish Colonial sites in the Southern U.S.  Here is a link to the articles.

Archeology Ink | Assorted Articles - A Research Journal by Caleb Curren, Archeologist

One central focus of the author seems to be the site of the Tristan de Luna sites, claimed to be a 1559 Spanish colony.  Here are some excerpts from one of the author's articles on that topic.

The University of West Florida (UWF) made a “Remarkable Claim” in December of 2015 when they publicly announced that they had definitely found the 1559 Spanish Colony lead by Tristan de Luna (Pensacola News Journal, PNJ, Dec. 18, 2015). It has been nine years to the month since UWF issued their “Remarkable Claim.” They still have not produced the “Remarkable Proof” necessary to scientifically confirm their claim...

There is a dictate upon universities that mandates a practice of transparency of their data within a reasonable time frame. In the nine years that have transpired since the UWF “Remarkable Claim” there has not been a technical report made available to archeologists and the public. That is not a reasonable time frame... 

Archaeologists often say that the purpose of archaeology is to save history for the public, yet as I've said before, although the public pays for much of the archaeology that is conducted, the results are usually only available to the public in expensive professional journals instead of being made freely available to the public that paid for the work.  Archaeology Ink is freely available online.

To continue with another excerpt from that article.

Contact Archeology Inc. (CAI) has made repeated attempts to obtain a technical report or at least the UWF data of artifact tables and feature forms of what has been found and where it was found at the East Pensacola Heights Site (8Es1). CAI have been “stonewalled” at every juncture by UWF. They have not issued a detailed technical report in the nine years they have been excavating at the site. That is not respecting the “Public’s Right to Know” adherent to laws and ethics of the Profession of Archeology.

UWF has had numerous articles published by various public media outlets. They have also given numerous papers at professional conferences. That is not the same as a technical report being released to the public in standardized formats providing details of their excavations. For some reason UWF has aggressively avoided publishing such a document. If they did, it would allow the academic community to critique the interpretations of their data.

I have no doubt that part of the reason for the lack of transparency is the view held by many archaeologists that the public is eager to loot archaeological sites and not to be trusted with specific site information.  Treasure hunters and metal detectorists are especially not to be trusted despite the fact that treasure hunters and detectorists make huge contributions to museums and archaeology.  

It has long been my position that if the public was more involved and informed by the archaeological community they would by their presence be an asset that would help professional archaeology protect archaeological resources rather than being a threat.  As stated above the public funds archaeology and advances it in many ways and deserves full access for several very compelling reasons.  

I once conducted a poll in the TBR and found that very few of the respondents have seen the coins in the Florida Collection even though they are collected to "save history for the public."  Those who read this blog and likely have a real interest in history will not find it easy to see the coins, although rarely parts of the collection may go on tour.  Most of the poll respondents have, on the other hand, visited the McClarty Museum or the Fisher museums.  Much of the Florida Collection was contributed by private salvage companies' interests.  Without the involvement and cooperation of the public, including "treasure hunters" our public collections would be much smaller.  Besides contributing artifacts, the "treasure" community inspires interest in our history and archaeology and the public funds much of the profession.

Another excerpt...

Public universities in the State of Florida, including UWF, receive state and federal funding. Therefore, they are subject to state and federal laws which require full disclosure of their data. In other words, universities are subject to a legitimate expectation of transparency in the workings of those institutions...

 

Here is the link for the rest of that article.

Archeology Ink | UWF’s Luna Colony Claim Remains Shrouded in Secrecy After Nine Years of Excavations - A Research Journal by Caleb Curren, Archeologist

And here is the link to the Spanish Colonial artifacts section.  It isn't the most exhaustive list of artifacts, but it is worth browsing.

Archeology Ink | Spanish Artifacts - A Research Journal by Caleb Curren, Archeologist

I share the sentiments of at least this professional archaeologist and those presented by his web site.  They are consistent with the thoughts I've presented in this blog over the years.  I recommend at least browsing Archaeology Ink.  It presents more articles that you might find helpful.

By the way, some of this blog's readers have found that some of the UWF archaeologists have been helpful.  I suppose some are better than others.

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Look at that.  Nothing stirring.  Not even a mouse.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

We've had a very quiet hurricane sesaon so far.

Sebastian Pier This Morning.

Looks like the surf might pick up later this week.

Good hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/2/26 Report - Another Treasure Find Picture. World's Fair of Money. Meteoric Treasure Dating Problems. Zinc Nickels.

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

Beach Metal Detector Finds by Peter Hughes.

I did some previous posts on the shipwreck finds of Peter Hughes.  I previously show coins finds, but he also found some great shipwreck artifacts.  The above picture shows one of those. along with a variety of coins.

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From Sedwick and Associates, LLC...

Sedwick & Associates, LLC is pleased to announce that we will be attending the ANA World’s Fair of Money® from August 25 through 29, 2026, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

The World’s Fair of Money is one of the most important numismatic events of the year, bringing together collectors, dealers, researchers, auction houses, and institutions from around the world. We look forward to meeting with clients and friends, reviewing important material, and discussing consignments and bidding opportunities.

During the coming weeks, members of our team will also be traveling throughout Florida and other states to visit consignors. We will be traveling to South America as well. If you have coins, paper currency, medals, tokens, shipwreck artifacts, or other numismatic material that you would like to discuss with us in person, please contact us so that we can arrange a private visit.

Our next auction will take place at our offices in Maitland, Florida, on November 5 and 6, 2026. The quality, rarity, and historical importance of the material already consigned are making our 40th auction a particularly special event.

Whether you are considering consigning or planning to bid, this is an auction you will not want to miss. We are currently accepting additional consignments and welcome the opportunity to discuss how your collection or individual rarities may be presented to an international audience of serious buyers.

We look forward to seeing many of you in Pittsburgh at Booth 722 and during our upcoming travels throughout the United States and South America.

Sedwick & Associates, LLC

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On December 1, 1963, archaeologist Jose Maria Soler discovered a set of 66 pieces ranging in metals and including bowls, bracelets, bottles, and gold ornaments. Some pieces mix metals—there are three silver bottles, an iron bracelet, another iron piece with gold ornaments, and an amber and gold button. In total, according to the Jose Maria Soler Archaeological Museum, the collection features nearly 22 pounds of gold and is “considered the most important prehistoric treasure in Europe.”

While iron isn’t as flashy as gold, the origin of the iron in the collection had puzzled experts for decades. That’s because the dating of the gold found on the Iberian Peninsula worked out to sometime between 1200 BC and possibly as far back as 1500 BC. But the Iron Age and terrestrial iron smelting wasn’t happening on the peninsula before 850 BC at the earliest. That means the iron-looking elements from the Treasure of Villena presented a dating problem...

The 2023 study analyzed the nickel content from the two pieces, showing that the high nickel content falls in line with iron originating from a meteor.

Here is the link for the rest of the story.

He discovered 22 pounds of ancient treasure from an impossible timeline—then things got even weirder

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Ohhhh noooo!!!  Stinkin zinc Jeffersons!?  Looks like it might happen.  

Should the bill pass the Senate, in which case it will become law, the so-called penny will remain as legal tender. The bill also addresses our 5-cent “nickel,” the cost of producing this denomination, which is also becoming a sore spot for the US Mint.  The legislation authorizes the Treasury to begin minting a less expensive zinc-based coin. According to Rep. French Hill (R-Arkansas), this would “ensure that increased nickel demand is not mitigating the savings due to the elimination of the penny.”

Here is that link.

The Penny Isn't Going Away—But It's Changing - Numismatic News

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Jensen Beach Web Cam (Noth View)
Jensen Beach Webcam

Pretty boring stretch of unchanging weather and surf.  We are still having a small surf.

Nothing of interest on the National Hurricane Center map either.

Fort Pierce Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com.

Just a little bump on the surf chart.  It looks big in comparison, but really isn't much.

I'm still having slow-downs while getting accustomed to a new computer.

Good Hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net