Book Review – Atocha Treasure Adventures: Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon
Atocha Treasure Adventures: Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon
by Capt. Syd Jones
Review by Trae Regan
In this 332 page true story, Captain Syd Jones, who has logged an impressive more than 7,000 hours underwater, leads us through his experiences as an Archaeological Diver, Captain, Operations Manager, and the many other hats he wore for Mel Fisher and in his adventures over the years.
I loved this line from the Foreword the most, and it really set the mood for the rest of the book as to what a humble, fun, and easy going guy Syd is: “After seeing National Geographic film footage of us bringing up ancient gold and silver artifacts, I sometimes hear people saying, ‘I should have done that!’ Well, perhaps… read on and decide if you really would have.” I was hooked from the beginning and really had a tough time putting the book down.
It’s articulate and very well written, with excellent analogies throughout that really help you visualize and empathize every step of the journey. There are some really neat pictures that were new to me, as well… wait until you see the one with Jimmy Buffet and Mel Fisher sitting on a stack of silver bars, and read the story that goes with it – so cool! I also really enjoyed the interludes that played out Capt. Syd’s stories about the original Spanish Salvors’ attempts to find the wrecks.
If you’re like me and have even the slightest bit of interest in any of the fabled Spanish treasure fleets, especially the 1622 fleet of course, then you’ve got to read this book. I’ve read a couple of other books about the hunt for the Atocha and Santa Margarita, but this was by far the most fun adventure of them all. It’s a front seat in Capt. Syd’s remarkable roller coaster ride through the turmoil, the windfalls, and everything in between.
You can purchase an autographed book directly from the author at captkt@juno.com.
Book Review – Coins of The Lost Galleons
Coins of The Lost Galleons
by Captain Kathryn Budde-Jones
Review by Trae Regan
In this 26 page guide, Captain Kathryn “KT” Budde-Jones, Archaeological Diver for Mel Fisher and a member of the American Numismatic Association, takes us through chapters such as New World Minting Procedures, Coin Denominations, Cross Designs, Coin Types, Spanish Coats of Arms, Monarchs of Spain, Mint Marks, Assayer’s Marks, and more.
It contains excellent technical illustrations (my favorite part!), photos, maps and other relative information on the history of Spanish treasure coins. All of the information is put into an easy to read format that is concise and approachable for even the most casual interest level. It left me with a new found confidence in identifying cobs and any other period treasure coins I might find while beach hunting along the Treasure Coast of Florida… highly recommended!
You can purchase an autographed book directly from the author at captkt@juno.com.
The Museum of Florida History – Spanish Shipwreck Treasure in the ‘La Florida’ Maritime Heritage Exhibit
I recently visited The Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee, Florida, for the sole reason of checking out the Spanish shipwreck treasure in the Maritime Heritage exhibit. I recorded a short video to share with you here.
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1733 Fleet Dive & Beach Hunting in The Florida Keys
On a recent trip to The Florida Keys I dove the San Pedro with a friend and did a little beach hunting opposite the San Pedro and El Lerri / Terri wreck sites.
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How Florida’s Treasure Coast Got Its Name, Looting in Ft. Lauderdale, FL?, Gold From Space, And More
Sebastian Inlet, Florida – Beach Replenishment Dredging Photos
I recently visited Sebastian, Florida (Treasure Coast / Atlantic Ocean) for some beach hunting and decided to also make a quick stop to work over the dredge tailings from Sebastian Inlet, after reading about the beach replenishment project here: http://treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com/2012/02/21012-report-favorite-finds-dredging.html
I only spent an hour detecting, which was more than enough time to realize that my White’s Dual Field, a pulse induction detector, wasn’t the right tool for the job. I think a VLF detector, with good discrimination abilities would have worked out much better, and allow me to dig less trash. If you know the history of the area, then you know that it’s a decent possibility that there is some treasure amongst all the junk.
This was the first time I’ve seen a replenishment project in-progress and I thought you might find it interesting to see exactly what the execution looks like, so I took some photos.
Gold Pay Dirt / Concentrate Review: ArizonaPaydirt.com
I know there are a lot of mixed feelings out there about the sale of gold pay dirt and concentrates, and yes many of them are junk, but at the end of the day they are generally fun if you have the right frame of mind, can make for great panning practice, and from what I hear, make a decent temporary fix for the gold fever winter time blues! No matter what, I’ve enjoyed buying and panning them here, in good ole’ Florida, where “wild gold” isn’t an option.
This review is for the “Deluxe Dirt” bag from ArizonaPaydirt.com. The product was a little tricky to pan, with a lot of black sand (which is great practice!), but as you’ll see in my result pictures below, well worth the effort. At the time of this writing, the product is going for $25.00 plus $5 shipping, which ends up being a fair deal for the amount of gold you’re getting, and especially when compared to most other paydirt you’ll find.
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Unboxing a Fisher Gold Bug-2 Metal Detector
I just purchased my second metal detector, a Fisher Gold Bug-2. This time around I opted to purchase it online, from http://www.kellycodetectors.com. I plan on using it for “Micro-Jewelry hunting”* in dry sand, as well as gold prospecting and nugget shooting.
Here’s a gallery of unboxing the Gold Bug-2:
New Reading List Page
I’ve added a new reading list page. I’ll be keeping it up to date with books I’ve read or that I am currently reading. Enjoy! You can find the page here: http://goldandtreasurehunting.com/gold-treasure-hunting-books/
Old Anchor
My Dad recently shared these pictures with me, of an old anchor he salvaged in The Florida Keys, around 30 years ago. I remember playing on it when I was younger and thought it would be cool to share it with you. I’m not really sure where it is now.
Gold Pay Dirt / Concentrate Review: GoldAdventures.biz
I know there are a lot of mixed feelings out there about the sale of gold pay dirt and concentrates, and yes many of them are junk, but at the end of the day they are generally fun if you have the right frame of mind, can make for great panning practice, and from what I hear, make a decent temporary fix for the gold fever winter time blues! No matter what, I’ve enjoyed buying and panning them here, in good ole’ Florida, where “wild gold” isn’t an option.
This review is for the “1+ Grams GA Cons Bag” from GoldAdventures.biz. This bag was a fairly easy pan and, as you’ll see in my result pictures below, well worth the price ($65.99 at the time of writing)!
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Unboxing a White’s Surf PI Dual Field Metal Detector
I purchased my White’s Surf PI Dual Field Metal Detector from the friendly folks at http://www.kellycodetectors.com (ask for Steve Carr, great salesman, very knowledgeable and friendly). The purchase qualified for free shipping, but I opted to drive to their showroom, because it’s less than an hour away from my house. They actually call it the “Showroom Museum”, which is spot-on. It’s a neat, fun, well themed place to visit and browse around. Scroll down on this page, to see some photos: http://www.kellycodetectors.com/Welcome.htm
This is my first metal detector (as long as you don’t count the little crap-kickers we all had as kids). I’ve spent most of my life in and around the ocean and have dreamed of finding treasure since I was a boy. Now that I’m older and can finally swing the cost of getting into the hobby, and after all of the internet research I did, the Dual Field seemed like a great detector to start beach hunting with.
Here’s a gallery of unboxing the brand spanking new detector:
Gold Value Calculator
Current spot price per Troy Ounce
as of Mon. May. 20th is $1,393.60
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| Gold Spot Price Current as of Mon. May. 20th |
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| Per Troy Ounce: | $1,393.60 |
| Per Gram: | $44.81 |
| Per Grain: | $2.90 |
| Per Pennyweight (DWT): | $69.69 |