"why Is This Here?" Strange Beach Day

[F350Platinum]

Went up to a local beach today hoping the jellyfish would be gone so I could finally water hunt there. Nope.

Water was loaded with "stinging nettles" a jellyfish common in the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay. Some say they don't sting, but the poor screaming kid I helped today with white vinegar would beg to differ. I'm no stranger to pain but I don't want to get it the stupid way. 😀 I also saw a dead ray:

They put up one heck of a fight when you catch them.

Got there early, but immediately got some Intel from a local that an old couple had hit the place pretty hard, he told me where they were and what parts of the beach they hunted. Sounded like the couple Jamie and I met at VA Beach on Sunday, he said he comes to this beach.

Undeterred, I hunted the waterline, the high tide line and the towel line. Today I had the D2 with a modified Beach Sensitive program where I stripped out all discrimination and lowered all filters. I wanted to try a "raw" setting that would hit on everything, as the Deus did not see a gold chain hunting last Sunday.

I did pretty good for a hunted beach:

17 coins, oldest was probably 70s. At least I got more than one of everything, proving to me that my program was good. Trash was pretty bad, this is about 2/3ds of it, a guy offered to take some off me early on.

Many of the items were sight picks. I can't leave anything I see behind.

Then the day got strange, first I dug this gold plated hairpin with bling, my only jewelry of the day again restoring my faith in my settings. I would not have dug that.

Next I went along the surf at a hotel, didn't find much but when I was coming back, I got a very strong 66, I thought "oh, one of the really nice pull tabs"...

Nope.

1816 8 Maravedis Spanish coin, Ferdinand VII, Jubia mint I think. Looks like a "J" on the left side of the almost completely obliterated bust. The "8" is gone. Here is the reverse:

Gotta love that ol' rugged cross. 😀

Not far from it I got a 62 and thought "nickel or generic pull tab"...

Nope.

1916 Cuban Liberation 5 centavos, in great shape. Here's the other side:

Why were these here? No corrosion, only pocket wear. The only explanation I have is that a visitor to this country dropped lucky coins. They're lucky for me now thanks!

Then I found this:

A large old hem weight. 🤪 The kind of stuff I find relic hunting.

After that when coming back I ran into a couple whose boy was out trying out his new metal detector (a cheap Chinese knockoff that looked like a Garrett), he had his coil on backwards. 😵 I went up to his Dad and asked him to call him over and we got him straightened out. I showed him my crazy finds, and gave him some quick tips on hunting, basically dig it all with a beep dig machine. Told them to let him detect their yard, and try to get him a farm permission, and to check metal detecting laws wherever they go. I also showed him how to properly swing the machine, and to not worry for a long time if all he gets is junk.

I let him have the rest of that beach. I was paying for parking so I had to go.

Odd day but very satisfying. 🙂

[dogodog]

Some great finds Bob. Crazy how odd finds show up in a place you would never expect. I once found a near mint 1916 George the 5th in a flower bed at a 1950's house. Take them as they come. More than likely someone was keeping them for sentimental value and their rotten kid decided to play with them Ha Ha. Seriously cool coins no matter the reason. Looks like the guy from Fredericksburg with the MXT missed three good items in a couple of days. I thought I was having a good day until you sent me that. Remember its where the coil is. Great job my friend!!!!

[F350Platinum]

Thanks, just realized it's my first Spanish Copper! 🥳

I figure it was them, glad they could hit the beach so hard, hope when I'm that age I'm still kicking and swinging 🤣

[dogodog]

You and me both, I thought I was tough. That guy was in blue jeans and a flannel shirt with an under shirt underneath. At 84 degrees I would have fell over. He didn't miss a beat. Kinda nice to see old school guys and gals still digging and telling stories.

[Rick N. MI]

Some cool finds! Nice helping a boy out.

[Valens Legacy]

Very nice finds and the jelly fish would have mined if you walked next to them, they would have let you pet them also.

Good luck on your next hunt and stay safe.

[strick]

Have they brought sand in to that beach from somewhere else? The coins I could understand as being dropped...but the hem weight? Follow the jelly fish...

strick

[F350Platinum]

21 minutes ago, strick said:

Have they brought sand in to that beach from somewhere else? The coins I could understand as being dropped...but the hem weight? Follow the jelly fish...

strick

I'm sure they did bring the sand from other places, the high beach has a pebbly content, middle is coarse, them white fine down to the water. I've found lots of .22 short shells in the hotel beach, mostly in the fine sand.

I'm hoping the jellyfish will be gone soon, but there's a day coming up where it will be cool enough to wear neoprene waders. 🤔

 

[schoolofhardNox]

Nice hunt. Either some kid brought coins from home or some club  had a planted coin hunt on that beach I've found some pretty weird foreign coins after one of those club hunts.  Come on, get in the water .... we love pictures of swollen limbs as much as we love coins and trash 😄

[F350Platinum]

9 minutes ago, schoolofhardNox said:

Nice hunt. Either some kid brought coins from home or some club  had a planted coin hunt on that beach I've found some pretty weird foreign coins after one of those club hunts.  Come on, get in the water .... we love pictures of swollen limbs as much as we love coins and trash 😄

That poor little kid was apparently hugging the jellyfish, he got stung in the face. His mom and grandmother didn't know what to do. I ran as fast as an old guy can run to the truck for the vinegar, it was parked right next to the beach bath house and bathroom. 🤣 Gave her a couple paper towels. It only lessens the pain but it's better than nothing or more, shall we say, "odd" treatments...

It was great to get a 200+ and 100+ year old coin on the beach. If the Cuban coin said "proof", it would be worth a lot. I think they were minted in Philadelphia!