my most valuable finds to date

[nickie]

OK,I finally got the pics loaded with help from my son.
Being new to treasure hunting,you can imagine my joy when I found the Spanish Real 1525-1750,or what is left of it anyway,in the sand on my seventh hunt.Then a little later,700meters down the beach,I found the ring.
I tried to match the ring up on the internet,and the lace on the side does look a lot like some modern day Spanish work so I am wondering if it is somehow related to the coin.I will visit this beach again tomorow.

The thing that throws me off is that the ring is in very good condition compared to the coin.If anyone can help with any information on the ring I would appreciate it.
My only regret is that I had not taken metal detecting up earlier in my life.This is a great forum and thank you for all the help tips and information

 

[Beale]

Congrats on those grat finds! Sweet stuff, Beale.

 

[weston]

n/t

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

Yep, I would be hitting that beach real hard. Very nice finds.

 

[Furious T]

If both coin and ring were found on the beach, below high tide mark, look for very tiny scratches (from sand) on each of them..you might need a powerful magnifier, but the result can give an idea how long each one has been kicking around in the ocean.

 

[7centsworth]

Man those are nice finds I really like the ring. Keep on that beach there is bound to be more.

 

[TURNMASTER]

Congrats on the cool finds

Do the Reales always come out looking like the were hammered? When new did they have a more coin like appearence?

Jeff

 

[Tinfoil]

n/t

 

[dragon6banger]

this is just my 2 cents i have seen rings like this before and i think it is a seal ring. seal rings are used to to make a mark in hot wax to seal an envalope. the crest should belong to a family, a lord, a baron something along those lines. as to the age i have no idea but it does look pretty old. congrats on your finds

 

[nickie]

The Real is beaten pretty bad. They were issued as regular round coins with writing around the rim and all.
Here is the link for anyone who is interested in Spanish Reales.

http://www.newworldtreasures.com/cointypes.htm

Thanks for the tip on the ring.It probably is a phoenix.I will look into it.

I don't know about the seal theory though.I thought the same thing until I saw some seal rings which had the design indented,not raised,but that does not mean all seal rings are indented.On the back of the band,not the inside, it has two stamp marks,very small.I havent had the time to clean them yet,but in one are the initials AT or so it looks.I am assuming the other stamp has numbers.
When it is cleaned I will have more info.
I was told that the initials should be from the person who made the ring.Hopefully we will know more soon.

Our trip to this beach today was canceled but hopefully I will get there within the next week.We wanted to get out there before the sand at the waterline changed too much but sometimes things just do not work out as planned.
Another thing this has taught me is to keep a note book of dates, times,locations,moons,tides,etc.

Thanks for the info .I will keep you updated .In the meantime,if it is worth 10000 or something,there is a finders fee,no problem.Just find me the buyer.
The Real isn't worth much because it is beaten ,but I am hoping the ring might be..

 

[David]

About that bird on that ring you found. The birds below are very simular to your bird ring with the high rounded wings, big lower tail, big feet sticking out, and a some have a sideways bird head wearing a crown. I think your ring with the bird head is wearing a 3 prong crown if you look close. IMO(InMyOpinion) it is a central-eastern European bird symbol, (looks closest to Austria or Poland) exactly which one I do not know? Does anyone else have an idea?

So many simular birds on flags, seals, or coat of arms in the central to eastern Europe area.

More simular ones:
My dad's parents immigrated from this country. This may not be it, but close and has 3 prong a crown:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_President_of_Austria.svg

OR maybe:
Has a 3 prong crown simular to yours:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Herb_Polski.svg


Not as simular:
Has a bird but with 2 heads:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Russian_Empire_1914_17.svg

No crown:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Germany_(state).svg

Not this one but still simular:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_the_President_of_the_United_States

 

[SWMO Mark]

Actually your coin is called a cob. It was stamped out of slices from a silver bar. They were all different shapes. Your coin probably washed out of the dunes in one of the hurricanes in that area in the last few years. If it had been in the water for the last 2-3 hundred years it would be pitted. That is why I say it came out of the dunes. High and dry! It is actually in great shape. Hope this helps.

 

[nickie]

David,thank you for the links.The ring does match the Polish crest very much,and the beach it was found on has a lot of tourists from Northern Europe,but,on the other hand,the lace on the ring matches Spanish work,and another kicker is the same bird is the Sanchez coat of arms.
It probably will not be easy to work this puzzle out.

Mark,thanks for the tip on the coin,I will check it out and see what I come up with.You know I kept looking at the sides of the coin and it did not look like there were pieces broken off ,but since it matched up with the coin on the other site,I simply assumed.
Thanks ,I will look into it.

Merry Christmas to all