My beach finds

[Paulmarr]

I thought I would try to clean up a few of my finds using electrolysis ... Here is my rig ...

My power supply is a fancy one that allows you to control voltage and amperes ... It really doesn't matter about voltage it's the amps that is important so I set mine around 1.8 amps

You suspend the coins in a saltwater bath - the more salt the better ... And then a piece of metal on the other side to draw the crud to it - reverse plating

I use copper wire to suspend the coins and the rule about amps is checking it bubbles like soda pop not a boiling pot of water ... A couple of hours later and a scrub of bicarbonate and they look like this ...

As you can see most are toasty - what are the chances of finding (2) 1917 shillings on successive nights?

The Florin still needs more bath

 

[silver]

I do have kids, and they do think like detectorists when there is nothing better for them on offer. My seven year old likes to go detecting most though, and can find and dig her own targets. And blow me down if my missus didn't say just the other day that if I did get another ACE250 that she probably would give it a bit of a go with me, so things can even change over time in ways you just never expect.

You guys probably get away with that a bit easier as women see it as healthy father son bonding time that you will never get again once your time on the orb is done, so they tend to overlook an awful lot of things in those type of circumstances when normally on an average day they may simmer over it a bit a few times until eventually something boils over and the clean-up work has to begin. So I guess what I'm saying is," Enjoy that wonderful bonding time, and score well while having fun together because it means a lot to everyone ! ", as it helps give hope to all men.

Yes silver - detecting with your son does open some doors that were previously closed ... I am sure if Bogan was not my son the Mrs would be giving me a much harder time taking off in the night to detect ... and I think Bogan's fiancee has less to say when he says "going detecting with Dad" than when he goes alone or out with friends ... come to think of it ... I learned this early on in life when Bogan was a little tacker and I was a keen fisherman wanting to go off for the weekend ... if I took the kids I was ok to go - on my own or with mates and I got the third degree. I am unsure if I said "bonding session" that the Mrs would go for that though ... after all we have been bonding for 28 years!

I will also say that it is fantastic to have another person to talk detecting with on a daily basis ... one mention of detecting to the ladies and the eyes glass over quickly before they disappear with something more important to do! We always have something to talk about and many times it is what we see and read on the forum that gets the discussion going. Also great to have someone to bounce ideas off of when at the beach and working out the hunting strategy for the night. If you have a kid - put a detector in their hands and you will definitely wont be sorry ... (except when they find all the gold before you can walk across it!)

 

[Paydirt]

Not quite electrolytic cleaning but on Catalyst last week they had a great report about the AEII -one of Australia's first submarines that was scuttled near the Dardenelles in WW1. I have been following the AEII story since it was located a few years ago because one of the topic I teach in Senior high school chemistry is 'Shipwrecks, corrosion and conservation'. Together with the students we discuss what to do with the wreck - as it was scuttled it is not a war grave site and therefore not subject to the same restraints as say the midget sub found off Sydney that does contain the remains. It was brilliant to see they are conserving the wreck thru sacrifical anodic protection (similiar to ocean going ships)

 

[Paulmarr]

Friday night beach hunt and I went out on my own with the GT and here are my finds ...

Another average night with not much to crow about but this is the best of it...

A squid jag and four coins - 3 pre-dec with two being silver ... A shilling and a three pence ...

I find if you wet them and hold them at the right angle you can read the date before cleaning.

Our beaches have been in a dodge tide (a tide with little movement for 24 hours) so the next few days should be more productive...

 

[Paulmarr]

Saturday night and again I went out on my own for two hours to wade in the low tide for some gold ... Didn't find any gold or much else ... Here are the finds...

A few sinkers and four coins - one silver to save my soul ...

At least it's a 90% er - that make 93 silvers this year for me ... 7 more to make the ton which was a goal I set for myself earlier this year ... Half not thinking it was possible...

 

[slipped disc]

DAMN mate, you have flogged the place dry. I moved to the copper coast, Kadina way, 6 months ago. in the 6 months previous my finds just fell away to very little. a lot of peeps are coming on the scene all the time it seems. even all around here it is fairly well flogged too. keep on.

 

[Goldpick]

It has been slim pickings at the beach in recent times, need some more sand movement to take place. At least the weather is being kind, plus a nice and bright moon to work under always helps.

 

[Paulmarr]

It has been slim pickings at the beach in recent times, need some more sand movement to take place. At least the weather is being kind, plus a nice and bright moon to work under always helps.

Yes GP - the sinkers I found were all pretty deep (12+ inches down) telling me the targets are there but too deep for me to detect them - we need some sand removed and the weather predictions don't give me much confidence it's going to happen this week ...

Still always a bit of fun!

 

[Paulmarr]

Sunday night and Team Bogan went out once again for the .3 low tide and here are our finds ...

Not much in the way of coins - a measly ten cent piece and a brown bugger - a boat load of sinkers - a smart phone - and a couple of pieces of jewellery ...

The ladies ring is old with English hallmarks and a 15k stamp while the brooch looks to be gold plated but gave the GT a low tone and I initially thought it was gold ...

GOLD BABY!

No silver coins tonight but it was a warm beautiful night and we had fun so Team Bogan went home happy campers ...

 

[silver]

That blue is such a nice colour as well, sandwiched in the middle of the wish bone. makes you wonder then what the sprout must be that would have such a beautiful blue bud.

 

[Paulmarr]

The weather has been blowing in Adelaide ... And after three nights of crashing waves I decided to go out for a hunt and here are the finds...

Yup ... Mostly rubbish but I got a three pence and I found Jesus on the beach too...

Couldn't find any markings on it but it does look nice and weighs a bit so we will need to get it tested before I can say its gold ... Maybe plated?

Anyhow not many targets but couldn't get near the bottom of the beach due to the wave action ... Perhaps the weekend will reveal more...

 

[Goldpick]

You did better than me tonight, overnight the beach completely sanded in, making it pretty pointless to even be there - other than a bit of exercise of course.

 

[Paulmarr]

Another Saturday night ... And unfortunately I was on my own again ... A warm night on sanded in beach conditions but here are my finds ...

9 coins with four that are pre-decimals ... 2 silvers ... A very unusual find for an Adelaide beach ...

A 1929 US Mercury Dime! A long way from home ... Of course a got the obligatory spoon handle and a squid jag ... At least some things I can depend on ... Need another 4 silvers to hit the ton for the year!

The junk

No gold - couldn't locate the heavy targets tonight

 

[Dejan027]

Hi Guys, love the feed.

Could you tell me if the electrolysis works on copper coins or is it just silver?

 

[Paulmarr]

It does work on copper but it turns the coin an unnatural colour and ruins any numismatic value - but if you are just curious it will reveal the coins detail...

 

[Dejan027]

Thanks Paulmarr,

Don't want to ruin any of my coins, so I will try a different method.

 

[Paulmarr]

Saturday night exercise down the beach ... Really sanded in and not many targets to find but here they are ...

A 1953 Shilling , a brown bugger and another lead soldier with some junk mixed in to keep me awake...

All in all a bit of a bust ... The last four silvers are coming in dribs and drabs ... 3 more to go.

 

[Sandta]

Gday Pauly , 3 to go .... I bet you get them before i manage to get the sov on the sand
Im all but ready to go
This is my week 'on call' .... Started friday ... Finish thursday
If alls good, i will be out friday for the maiden run

 

[Paulmarr]

Thanks Sandta - to start off with - set the sensitivity to auto - no discrimination - iron mask on - and away you go ... I'm really interested to see how you go ... It took me a few hours to get used to the different tones but you are a quick learner!

 

[Paulmarr]

Team Bogan out for a night of detecting after a bit of a break ... And here are the finds ...

Another palate of treasures tonight - 14 coins - 5 pre-decimals (1 x 1940 Florin) - 6 brown buggers and a couple of moderns - a silver ring - a metal stamp (V J Conlon) - a piece of a lure, a piece of a lead soldier - sinkers - but the best thing of all for me is I found the other half of the silver bangle I found on August 2nd (page 11) 54 days later ... I knew what it was as soon as I unearthed it!

Ladies ring 925 silver with a mother of toilet stone ...

And a bit of junk ...

Great to have the team back out there ... The CTX got the florin and ring so I am still after my 3 silvers ...