A day at the beach

[basemetal]

I just returned from a long weekend at the beach. 
I took my metal detector.
I found many metal modern coins, a very nice Italian necklace with a solid silver heart(uninscribed)
and a fake "piece of eight" spanish coin.
I also left for the "dawn patrol" of metal detectorists, a small cache of constantine-era culls.
Will the papers say "Roman coins discovered on NC Beach"
or will some collector of highschool rings and the odd jewelery piece just be baffeled?

[DruMAX]

I also left for the "dawn patrol" of metal detectorists, a small cache of constantine-era culls.
Will the papers say "Roman coins discovered on NC Beach"
or will some collector of highschool rings and the odd jewelery piece just be baffeled?

 

[peterpil19]

I just returned from a long weekend at the beach.
I took my metal detector.
I found many metal modern coins, a very nice Italian necklace with a solid silver heart(uninscribed)
and a fake "piece of eight" spanish coin.
I also left for the "dawn patrol" of metal detectorists, a small cache of constantine-era culls.
Will the papers say "Roman coins discovered on NC Beach"
or will some collector of highschool rings and the odd jewelery piece just be baffeled?

I'm surprised about the fake piece of eight coin, I wonder what it was doing there? Perhaps planted by a likeminded detectorist?

--Peter

[basemetal]

Lol....I do not know.  It was good enough to have "copy" in small letters unlike so many fake spanish coins (all very poor copies).  It was buried about 8 inches down-not necessarily originally-sands shift, people scuff up that same sand.  It was alone.  Most times at the beach, unless jewelery, one finds more than one thing buried i.e. several modern coins, not just one, that sort of thing.  There was nothing around it.
You might be on to something.   And actually on the coast of NC, real  spanish coins have washed ashore.
I salute whoever planted it.   It was fun getting a signal, digging and lo and behold! a "piece of eight"!
I hope whoever finds my real ancient coins has the same fun.

And by the way, if Corona beer caps ever become valuable, I'll be moving to Capri and retiring!  

[Howard Cole]

I just returned from a long weekend at the beach.
I took my metal detector.
I found many metal modern coins, a very nice Italian necklace with a solid silver heart(uninscribed)
and a fake "piece of eight" spanish coin.
I also left for the "dawn patrol" of metal detectorists, a small cache of constantine-era culls.
Will the papers say "Roman coins discovered on NC Beach"
or will some collector of highschool rings and the odd jewelery piece just be baffeled?

I'm surprised about the fake piece of eight coin, I wonder what it was doing there? Perhaps planted by a likeminded detectorist?

--Peter

Most likely it was not planted by any one.  These fake Spanish coins are very commonly sold to tourists.  Most likely a tourist was enjoying the beach and lost this momento of their trip.

[basemetal]

Quite true Mr. Cole..and thanks!

Makes it clearer how one finds ancient coins as singles in situ alone, buried. 
The romans enjoyed their day at the beach (metaphor) as well!

[basemetal]

Also, I've noticed that the archeological world has not been rocked by the finding of Constantine-era coins on an NC beach. Since I've seen the throughness that the "dawn patrol" of detectorists scours the beach I feel over 50% certain that my "gift" has been found.  I'd like to think someone who has a nice collection of class rings and zinc clad coins is even now frantically trying to sell and/or find a buyer for his "fabulous" hoard of ancient coins.  Not mean spirited, I assure you.  When detecting in America, the finds are small and always of little value.  I sincerely hope I gave someone a thrill.  I'd have been.

[peterpil19]

Well, if you do happen to find a hoard of ancient coins from the NC mint, I'd certainly be interested in making an offer!

--Peter

[gavignano]

Basemetal et al.
I have vacationed in NC. Very nice. I was wondering who planted all those bronzes......

Have you ever tried to put a Constantinian cull into circulation as a penny (i.e., US cent). Like at a 7-11?  I'm sure the clerk wouldn't even blink an eye, I get Canadian coins in change from them regularly, and have gotten a farthing once in New York. Go figure.

[basemetal]

Gavigano:
I actually did that.  I included an overcleaned Constans in pretty good shape to a clerk in a convenience store. I did this with in the last two months.   He gave it back to me and said:  "Hey, I think this is a Canadian coin. We can't take those".
However, I gave another clerk a mexican centavo (anyway a mexican copper coin about the size of a penny)
and no problems. Guess it depends on the clerk.
Also, beware, weekend after next I'm going to "leave" a large sestertius of Trajan (worn to the point of can't identify the reverse at all and the obverse is simply an outline.  If you find it, by all means contact the "authorities"

[basemetal]

Also, peterpil:
I live in Burlington NC and there is in fact a real viable treasure buried here.
In the closing days of the Civil War (The Recent Unplesantness as we call it here) the designated Treasurer of Jefferson Davis (even we Southerners didn't trust Confederate currency) actually took a large number of gold coins-and I mean a large number-and buried them in iron pots three per burial in between Burlington and Greensboro NC at intervals off the old rail line between the two towns.  In 1910 the first of these were found. Since then at least 10 of more than 50 pots have been found.  No joke. 
"Why haven't we heard of this"?
Because like most troves, you don't go to the press first thing or if ever.  You sell 'em. Or keep them.
I live about 300 yards from the old rail line site.  And here I am screwing around with ancient roman coins, and I actually have a metal detector.   Go figure.

[Scotvs Capitis]

LOL, so I am not the only one!?

I am a metal detectorist as well, I left a small cache of similar Constantine era coins buried along Clear Creek in Texas where I know several fellow hunters are lurking around in search of old baptism spots. I think I'll leave some at the beach on Galveston in a week or two, I am down there very often, and we have a similar dawn patrol, loads of 'em, scouring the sand and surf for bather's gold.

[Howard Cole]

I am surprised by the amount of ancient coins that are lost or burried in the United States.  On eBay I recently bought a lot of coins that were found in the crawl space of an old house (even with the old leather coin purse) - at least that was the story.

It had two Ptolemaic coins (one at 40mm), one Greek coin, one Byzantine coin, one Kidarite coin, and 5 Islamic coins, ranging from the Middle East to Delhi in India.  Not a bad return for a $6 bid.

[basemetal]

Lol....just like ..ancient coins are worth what someone will pay you for them, ancient coins are where you find them!