Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED MACRO PIC CLOSEUPS AND X-RAY PHOTOS

1liquigirl

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Jun 13, 2005
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Bellefonte, PA
[size=12pt]LOOK TO PAGE TWO FOR THE LATEST AND THE NEW MACRO PICS!!!!!!! [/size] :thumbsup:

Gambling in Atlantic City is a thing of the past. You'll make out better on the shoreline. I run with a Garrett Ace 250 and came back with this and a few pieces that I think are bayonets, various sand pennies and the mouth of an 1800's amber brown whiskey bottle. It stormed with thunder and lightning the night before, and the surf was really pounding. The beach opened at 6AM and out I went. I turned the stone over and there it was, a chain and a shiny silver coin sticking right out at me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and after the shock wore off, you should have heard me whooping it up. I put it in my bag with the shells I had been collecting prior. I didn't care at that point about breaking any of them, to me I don't think I'll ever find anything better. About a minute after I put it in my bag, an ATV cop went by me, and I ecstatically said "Hi" to him. It was probably pretty out of place, but I couldn't help it. I held onto that bag like my life depended on it all the way back to the hotel room, to show my sleeping partner the treasure I had truly found. I wonder how long it takes to embed coins and chains in to sandstone? More than 30 years, I'm sure. :laughing7: We didn't head straight home, we went to a friend of ours that owns a stones and gems shop. He'd never seen anything like this before. He told us that as is, we are looking at a value of at least $400. We plan to get the stone X-rayed at some random dentist's office to see if there may be a pendant or even a gem on the chain and if we're lucky, there may be more coins. There is an indent in the rock underneath the area that the coin is showing that could have held another coin, it is completely round and about the size of a dime. There's alot of MDing that goes on along the shores of Atlantic City and alot of iron content out there, so I bet this stone could possibly have been overlooked by others more than once. I want to get all of the sand removed that is concreted on this coin, but I'm afraid to hurt it in any way. I carefully removed some of the grains of sand with a razor blade and I am sure I didn't scratch it. It is just enough to see that some letters are still present, but not enough to identify them. I refuse to do anything more to it. I trust someone out there can get it clean. The chain located in the top left of the stone in picture one and on my finger in picture two is handmade, the ends of each link are wrapped over the next loop. It is non magnetic, but has been tested for 14 ct gold and dissolved right away at our local jewelry store, so it's more likely to be bronze. A few more links are showing on the other side of the stone from where it hangs out on the other, so most of the chain could be wrapped up inside the stone. I hope to make banner with this one! I live in Central Pennsylvania and I doubt there is anyone around here that could identify this coin as is, it is thinner and smaller than an American Dime.

Update: There have been lots of views, replies and posts for me. Read the whole post to see the progression of IDing this. We will have the Macro pics of the coin tomorrow (Thursday, October 7th). We have used Goo Gone and the sink spigot for two days (alot longer tonight than the last). It's is showing a spot in the middle of the coin, when it hadn't before, but not much more. We used aluminum wrapped around the coin with baking soda and hot water for about 5 minutes, it didn't help much. We're hoping to find a dentist to do a water pick trick on the coin, although none of the dentists we have called wanted to even do an X-Ray. We paid $105 for two X-Ray photos at Metzger Animal Hospital in State College (I had volunteered here 12 years ago, in High School. We received a phone call back from the head of the Earth and Mineral Science Building here at Penn State. The head of the Department gave me an e-mail for a lady in the Anthroplogy Department. She has lived in Florida and has worked with shipwrecks. Just waiting to hear back from her now. Thanks for the five coin rating, on the My Best Finds Forum, but to see how this is progressing, it goes to show you, that everyone wants to find treasure, but the time and effort it takes to ID and find it's place in history, takes alot of work and patience. No one sees that in the beginning, then you find something good and you realize. Please, any other suggestions would be appreciated.
 

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bootyhoundpa

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1liquigirl

1liquigirl

Sr. Member
Jun 13, 2005
393
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Bellefonte, PA
Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

Update: Since the Goo Gone worked and the sink spigot on warm water after that, leaving the middle of the coin exposed a little bit. Tonight, the Goo Gone has been on the coin for almost 3 hours, I'm turning the spigot loose right now. Thanks for watching this forum and for the Five Coin rating about this Treasure Set in Stone in MyBestFinds Forum on TNet!!! It is as suspenseful to you as it is to us!!! It will be a first, please, recommend us for Banner, next to our avitar :thumbsup: Thanks and keep the suggestions and help coming! Love ya TNeters!!!
 

Bigcypresshunter

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

IMO this coin is most likely not rare and you will ruin the value by removing it. Its worth 10-50 times more as a possible shipwreck concretion. What you have found is rare and desirable. Why bust it up? Removed it will only be one single severely corroded coin with little value.

There are members here that can ID a coin with far less. You only need to post a clear in focus close up pic and have a little patience.
 

Bigcypresshunter

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

I went back and read all the replies. I guess if you are more interested in the ID than the money, than go ahead and remove it. Im just afraid that it will be too corroded to be of any value once removed. The mention of wood involved sounds like shipwreck, as rusted iron will preserve wood. I found a piece of wood from the 1715 fleet that was rusted and hard as a rock but I was not lucky enough to have a coin in it. .
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,176970.0.html
 

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1liquigirl

1liquigirl

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Jun 13, 2005
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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

BigCypress, Yes, there's wood on it. There's a possibility that if the Atlantic current moves north, and hurricanes move north, than the 1715 shipwreck pieces could move north too. The corrosion of iron on your picture greatly resembles ours. We cleaned with goo gone and spigot tap water again tonight, not much more to identify. Do you think a water pic will help/hurt? That is, if I can find a dentist that will do so, even though the X-ray was a no go with those I called? I will be off work on Wednesday and Thursday, so I hope to score the appointments at a dentist office and at a Veterinary Clinic for an X-ray on those 2 days. All of you are like distant family to me, the lost family that you love and hold on to. Thanks to all TNeters for helping me to this point with Identification and cleaning tips! You gotta love this Website.
 

Bigcypresshunter

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

1liquigirl said:
BigCypress, Yes, there's wood on it. There's a possibility that if the Atlantic current moves north, and hurricanes move north, than the 1715 shipwreck pieces could move north too. The corrosion of iron on your picture greatly resembles ours. We cleaned with goo gone and spigot tap water again tonight, not much more to identify. Do you think a water pic will help/hurt? That is, if I can find a dentist that will do so, even though the X-ray was a no go with those I called? I will be off work on Wednesday and Thursday, so I hope to score the appointments at a dentist office and at a Veterinary Clinic for an X-ray on those 2 days. All of you are like distant family to me, the lost family that you love and hold on to. Thanks to all TNeters for helping me to this point with Identification and cleaning tips! You gotta love this Website.
No, the 1715 fleet pieces would not move that far up the coast but there are many other shipwrecks.

I guess if you are just removing a small amount to identify it would be OK as long as you dont remove the coin completely.. I guess any method that doesnt scratch would be OK. If you do, you could try to glue it back, ...I guess. :-\ My point is that the coin is so corroded it would have little value if removed. There is always the possibility that its modern because saltwater corrodes iron so fast. It only has good value as a conglomerate and the wood makes me think shipwreck.
 

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1liquigirl

1liquigirl

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

Thanks BigCypress, and shipwreck is what I'm thinking too. If the coin can be IDed and the Earth and Mineral Science Department at Penn State University looks at it and can carbon date the chain, then we can narrow down the shipwrecks off shore and possibly figure out what shipwreck it may have came from. The value to a collector goes up if these things can be determined.
 

Bigcypresshunter

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

We can ID the coin here when you can get a camera and a very clear in focus picture. :icon_thumright:

The chain cannot be carbon dated. Carbon dating is a variety of radioactive dating which is applicable only to matter which was once living.
 

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1liquigirl

1liquigirl

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Jun 13, 2005
393
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Bellefonte, PA
Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

This is definately not to scale, BigCypress, but as requested, here is a paint image. I don't know how much of an artist I am and the letters may be a little off from their actual places. All yellow areas are sand concretions. The camera with macros, we will be borrowing either Wednesday or Thursday. I'll post them as soon as I take the shots. Thanks so much for helping :thumbsup:
 

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djabend

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

Perhaps you can get airport security to X-ray it? When they are not busy checking luggage of course ;D
Just a thought.

HH,
Donny
 

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1liquigirl

1liquigirl

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Jun 13, 2005
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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

djabend, nice thinking! I'm off on Wednesday, so we could take it to the airport, if the Veterinary Clinic I volunteered at in High School won't X-ray it. At work today, I ran into a nice gentleman who works with the Earth and Mineral Department at Penn State (got his phone number). He told me not to take this stone to Russ, the head of the department, because he's too busy. That must be why he hasn't called me back. I am hoping to get it in to them Wednesday or Thursday for some tests. I'll let you know any new news as soon as I do, keep watching all. And thanks for all your help so far.

Update: We realized there's something loose inside the stone. On the thick part where the chain presents itself outwardly, even when the chain is held down motionless, it rattles when you shake this piece!!!
 

Erik in NJ

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

Awesome find!! My money is on a Spanish 1/2 Reale that someone put on a chain a long time ago. Found my first 1/2 Reale this summer, and my first 1 Reale a few weeks ago. Both finds had my hands shaking. I can measure the diameter of the 1/2 Reale that I have if you want.....it's slightly smaller than a US dime. Best, Erik
 

Bigcypresshunter

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

Someone made a great suggestion that the chain may be a purse with a half dime in its contents. The rusted iron could be from the purse frame. But the wood piece doesnt seem fit with a beach lost purse. :dontknow:
 

Blind Squirrel

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

It's been almost a week now !!! :clock: We're here with baited breath :tongue3: Regardless of the outcome it's been fun :wav:
 

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1liquigirl

1liquigirl

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Jun 13, 2005
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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED NEW PICS

BigCypress, It rattles when you shake it so, it could very well be a lost purse that was sitting on the wood of a ship, for a really long time. It's more likely shipwreck than a lost beach find.

GGTDM, I hear ya! The wait is almost over, I rolled out of bed to a ringing phone. It was the head of the Earth and Mineral Science Department, at last! His co-worker at the department must have reminded him about my Treasure rock. They must have looked at the pictures here on TNet too, because he gave me a name of a lady in the Anthropology Dept. at the University and her e-mail address. He told me if anyone can help me, it would be her. She has lived and worked in Florida and is very familiar with shipwreck findings. So, they too must think shipwreck. I hadn't the time to e-mail her before work and it had me thinking about it all day. Sending her a line and a link to this website so she can look for herself, I will be requesting to meet her and get this rolling. Keep watching my friends, we may be heading down the road to something good!!!!

Thanks to all of you for all your help so far. Keep me posted with suggestions, thoughts, and ideas. Appreciation all around :toothy2: :fish: :icon_thumleft: :icon_salut:
 

Erik in NJ

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED X-RAY PHOTOS

Great X-Ray pics.....very compelling and interesting. I'm not skilled in reading these photos, but there appears to be a bolt (or threaded object) in the smaller protrusion and possibly a mate in the other. I see the chain, but there is also something that looks like a bent rod going through the "stone". Can you post pics of your stone in the same orientation as your X-Ray pics so I can get better bearings?

There should be enough of that coin revealed to get an ID on it.
 

SouthJerseyJim

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED X-RAY PHOTOS

Judging by the bolt in the rusty rock, im gonna say pretty modern. Im stickin to my barber,merc,rosie bet! Looks like the chain is barely in there, another victim of the rust magnet. Break it open already! :P
 

jeff of pa

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Re: Treasure Set in Stone UPDATED X-RAY PHOTOS

We received a phone call back from the head of the Earth and Mineral Science Building here at Penn State. The head of the Department gave me an e-mail for a lady in the Anthroplogy Department. She has lived in Florida and has worked with shipwrecks. Just waiting to hear back from her now.

Awsome !

I'm Looking forward to hear the Verdict

Jeff
 

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