Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
 |
| Silver Dime with Remaining Heavy Crust. |
I decided to go through another group of wheat pennies that have been sitting around. There were about 20 from the 1940s. Boring! Again, I didn't find even a decent die chip. The most interesting thing I found, and it isn't very interesting, was a 1944 S. It was the only San Francisco mint mark in the entire group. I do need to make sure it isn't one of the steel ones, which would take the value from around ten cents to possibly many thousands., Fat chance! But a quick check with a magnet will tell the story.
I started cleaning some coins yesterday. I talked about that a little in my last post. I did another day of soaking in vinegar, and the tough sand/shell crust did eventually dissolve in the vinegar.
Above is another silver coins with a very touch crust. The vinegar didn't penetrate it after two days. The other side has a similar crust. I can however see the edge of the coin, which is shown below. I'm assuming this one is a dime even though I still can't see the obverse or reverse.
 |
| Edge of Silver Coin. |
Below is a picture of a dime that has been cleaned with vinegar. While it now shows the word "LIBERTY," the rest of the design is not visible.
Despite the heavy wear, the edge of that dime shows the copper core.
 |
| Edge of Heavily Worn Clad Coin. |
Sometimes you'll see very clad dimes so badly corroded that the edge looks like the one shown below.
 |
| Edge of Very Heavily Corroded Clad Dime. |
I've seen some of that look like that fresh out of the ground. They are usually from an acid environment, such as around mangrove trees.
---
I always liked coins that look circulated. I've said that before. They show that they've been handled.
I noticed a nickel the other day that had nice smoothed look. It wasn't dirty or corroded but definitely showed the wear of being handled.
One thing I always disliked about coin collecting is the emphasis on condition that seemed to me to be taken to an absurd level. Thankfully for old shipwreck coins it isn't that bad, although there is a definite premium for the better examples. The cobs I find on the beach are usually very worn and often badly corroded.
I just found out something that I never thought I would see. I didn't realize it existed. There are evidently collectors of they call "low ball" coins. And those coins can sell for nice prices.
Here are a few excerpts from an article on something I never knew existed - Low Ball coin collecting.
Collectors often associate Low Ball coins with three grades:
Poor-1, abbreviated PO01
Fair-2, abbreviated FR02
About Good-3, abbreviated AG03
A PCGS PO01 coin must remain identifiable by type, date, and mintmark when applicable. A Fair-2 coin retains slightly more information, although most of its surface may appear smooth. An AG03 example usually shows clearer lettering and stronger outlines, but heavy circulation still dominates its appearance.
However, Low Ball collecting does not begin and end with one fixed grade...
As certified PO01 coins attract stronger prices, some people may attempt to manufacture wear. They might carry a coin as a pocket piece, tumble it with other objects, rub its surfaces, or use abrasives to remove detail....
Here is the link for more about that.
A prehistoric discovery in the Oregon mountains could rewrite the story of the first people to live in North America.
Archaeologists said a remote rock shelter, known as Rimrock Draw, may have been occupied by humans about 18,250 years ago, thousands of years earlier than scientists once believed the first Americans arrived.
If confirmed, the site would rank among the oldest known places of human occupation in North America and date back to roughly four times the age of Egypt's Great Pyramid.
the findings challenge the long-held theory that the continent's first inhabitants crossed an ice-free corridor from Asia around 13,000 years ago...
That was all a surprise to me.
---
A prehistoric discovery in the Oregon mountains could rewrite the story of the first people to live in North America.
Archaeologists said a remote rock shelter, known as Rimrock Draw, may have been occupied by humans about 18,250 years ago, thousands of years earlier than scientists once believed the first Americans arrived.
If confirmed, the site would rank among the oldest known places of human occupation in North America and date back to roughly four times the age of Egypt's Great Pyramid.
the findings challenge the long-held theory that the continent's first inhabitants crossed an ice-free corridor from Asia around 13,000 years ago...
Here is the link for the rest of that site.
Prehistoric discovery in Oregon mountains older than Egypt's Great Pyramid rewrites human history
I'm always very skeptical of dating techniques, especially those that go back that far.
----
Nothing new with the storm watch or beach conditions.
Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net