Five Park Drive

It's Easter Sunday and seeing as there were no bunnies available to munch on I was up early, first to listen to Arsenal demolish Reading 4-1 and secondly to be ready at first light to hit the local playgrounds in a personal coin shoot.

I set off about 6.45am in a slight drizzle and first up was the Sunkist Bay playground next to the Beachlands boating club. A messy park this morning, littered with all manner of take away remainders, used paper towels and empty drink containers. The bins around about were all overflowing too and it was good to see a Council van arrive to empty them. Must have been a busy day here yesterday. I managed to lift $4.10 out of the bark. Two $2 and a 10 cent piece.

Next up was the park on Beachlands Domain. I visited this park early in January with Garfy and the replenishment here since then seems sparse. Still a single 10 cents was better than a tear tab. I did find four washers, a pop rivet, and two nuts all in very close proximity. A tool kit spill I expect. Another litter laden area though and my clean up efforts nearly filled half an rubbish bin.

So $4.20 so far and home for breakfast before eight. Bacon sandwiches and a coffee settled my tummy and a check that the dogs have not escaped settled my mind.

The third park on the agenda was one of two in the Maraetai Domain which was clean by comparison to the last two, both in rubbish and coins. I left empty handed from this one.

Fourth park on my meticulous agenda was Umupuai Domain. The other side of Maraetai. A strange place for a park. No real houses around but there is a Marae which I suppose might get busy. Weed mat seemed to cover most of the ground under the bark and the signals from the metal pegs were the only ones I got apart from a few rusty bent nails. The cupboard was bare.

Last park on the agenda was the Te Puru Sports Club park. Here I had a modicum of success. The total spending here was $3.40.Two coins each of $1, 50 cents and 20 cents. Playgrounds near sports grounds do seem the most productive. I also found a fairly large medal awarded to the runners up in the Under 8 touch ruby competition, which I assume took place on the adjacent fields. My brother, Ian, is a member so he will try and contact the lad/ladette who lost the medal. Though it could have been thrown away in disgust.

So the days spending came to a grand total of $7.80 hard earned cash.

Lost or Tossed?

Park Life

I think that is it for me today but driving past the Maraetai wharf I did notice how packed the beach was as the Indian summer continued after the few early small showers. So I might tempt myself for a evening wander around. (it didn't happen) But at the moment I'm quite happy to relax. I really fancied a beer this afternoon but my supplies have run out and due to some stupid archaic law we cannot buy beer on Easter Sunday. 
I bet a pint of his Dad's special brew  was was the first thing Jesus downed when he escaped from that cave they put him in. Probably helped to wash down the creme eggs he would have scoffed.

So my wee holiday comes to a close and I enjoyed my stay here immensely. Lots of wonderful finds and $22.80 in spending. Plus a bit of dog bonding.

  

See you out there.

Out with a buddy today.

My mate Darren arrived this afternoon with his ACE150, his camera and was keen for a hunt. The welcomed rain of the morning had dissipated and blue sky was slowly nudging out the clouds making for a hot muggy atmosphere. After taking pictures of the results of my last two adventures, I found I was still unable to upload them as Darren had forgotten the USB cord to download them!! Still they are being e-mailled to me tonight.

We set off at about 2.30pm and grabbed a nice coffee on the way then started our adventure at the southern end of Maraetai beach. It was new ground and it was heading for low tide opening up the beach. It was still very warm but strangely the beach was almost empty. We spotted a fellow detectorist working around the wharf and I wondered if he was picking up much that I had missed during my previous visits. Off we set, I trolled the wet and Darren stayed up in the dry. After an hour all we had was a single 20 cent to our names. Lot's of nails, tent pegs and other fugleys were in abundance though. So we headed towards the wharf again, the third time in 36 hours for me. The other guy had gone and I thought the area would be completely cleaned out now. But I was wrong, as once again it again proved much more fruitful than the rest of the beach had been. I immediately picked up a dollar coin and that was followed a bunch of twenty cents with a couple of 50 and 10 cents. Most coins were heavily encrusted signifying they had been laying around for a while even though I and others had done this area to death! The trash was negligible as I think I have removed most of it already this week.

Is the Maraetai wharf magnetic?

My other finds included a nice silver fishing lure, a 'Grim Reaper', with a three pointed hook still attached, a  lead sleeve for connecting electrical wires, another handy screw thingy from a boat and a disc that could be the base of a bullet of some kind or something quite completely different. It has the letters DEKS PAT APR printed on one side. (After googling those letters it seems the disc is from a plumbing and roofing supply company and is probably the head of a nail of some sort). Of course, tent pegs proliferated. 

Darren's ACE150 ran out of battery power and we decided to head home at about 5pm. Once home, Darren took a few more pictures of today's haul to be sent on to me later before he hit the road home.

My accumulation of spending for the day was $2.90 all but 20 cents from the wharf area. Tomorrow I think I will hit a different beach or a few parks and give the wharf area a well earned rest. Maybe Gareth and Dave will arrive to go gold panning.

See you out there.

Evening Stroll

Left home a little late at about 6.30pm as I realised Darren won't be up till the morrow. Beach was calm and relatively empty and the heat of the day still hung around. I trawled up and down the beach outside the shops for the second time today. It seems it had been replenished by todays visitors. First item of interest was a cheap pendant with a pink heart in the middle of the design. Second heart of the day. Is there a hidden message there?

Then I found a succession of coins including a 2010 Australian $2 coin which is a very small coin for it's value, it's the same size as our ten cent piece. Two old decimal five cent pieces (1996 &'97) were also uncovered. The total spending at the end of the night was $3.60. This took my total of spending coins I've found this year to over $100. To be exact $103.20.

I put on the head light when the sun went down and didn't leave until after 9pm. I enjoy detecting at night. One of the last targets was a heavily encrusted necklace chain, which was very fragile and broke into several bits when I removed it from the sand. There is a big congealed lump on the chain which I hope when it is cleaned will reveal a nice pendant.

The crusted chain did not have a nice pendant.

Other items included another four tent pegs, a spoon made by Style House, a metal button, a couple of washers and that, apart from the trash, was that.

In the nearly three hours I was out I for once didn't meet anyone who wanted to have a chat, it was a lonely search. The only person I did interact with was an attractive police lady who breathalised me at a road block on the way home.

I picked up a chinese for tea and the dogs were happy to see me home.

Feel plumb tuckered, it's been a long day. No camera yet, pictures to go up as soon as I can organise it.

I hope Darren brings his camera tomorrow

See you out there.

Morning stroll

Just did an hour at the Maraetai beach. Easter Friday, great early morning weather and an almost empty beach. I arrived about 7.30am just as high tide was turning so my beach options were limited.  Two fit looking lads were getting into wetsuits ready to swim to Waiheke Island!!! It's a good swim, probably close to five miles as a Tui flies. From what I caught of their conversation it sounded like they had already biked several hundred miles to get here. Oh to be that fit and and not suffer from Galeophobia!!

Before starting I gave my MD a nice clean up, tightened all the screws and nuts and as I felt yesterday that my batteries were running down, even though my Beach Cobra had not signalled the fact, I inserted new ones, all eight!!!

So with fresh batteries and a the good feeling this place gives me I was hoping for some more interesting finds. To start with I covered much the same ground as I did yesterday to see if my increased power strength would pick up anything I missed previously. The finds were few 20 cent coins plus one small steel like bangle with a weld that glistened like gold just for a second but was in fact just a weld. No other markings to be seen, though I've yet to completely clean it up.  Lot's of trash too. So maybe the batteries were okay.

I then started sweeping a new area a little further down the top of the beach. Here I hit seven coins adding up to $3.70, two zipper pulls, one with a novelty silver heart attached, a bulldog clip, 5 tent pegs and I think a housing for a small lock?  For a non alcohol area there sure were a lot of beer bottle tops!

Beautiful collection, exquisitely arranged within
four strategically placed tent pegs depicting
the very essence of detecting art.

One thing that I discovered as I emptied my pockets of trash was a hot rock I had put aside. It broke in to two pieces as I moved towards the bin and I noticed a groove. On further inspection the 'rock' had two holes either side of the groove which seemed to be minute hollow metal tubes. Obviously something inside this rock like lump. I will investigate further.

So $4.50 in spending and a variety of other finds. An hour well spent and I'm leaving just as the crowds start to roll up.  Might pop back this evening.

Off to the dog park now though, to walk the two
labra-doodles in my capable? charge. If the ground wasn't so hard I'd take a spade and the MD instead of a fistful of doggy poo bags.

Looking forward to tomorrow when my friend  Darren, 'Garrett ACE150' man, is coming up for a beer and a low tide swing.

See you out there.

 

How cool is this place?

Well here I sit at a computer after a lovely family birthday and a few beers, a rum and a burby. Hic.

Rochelles amazing cake

I am back in the idyllic surrounds of Beachlands. My brothers nephew has just had a wonderful gathering for his 4th birthday and I've found out that my Sis-in-law, Rochelle, makes a mean cake. Also for those out this way with hunger pangs, hear this, Mareatai's 'Flying Pizza' takeaways turns out one or several tasty comestibles. I munched away merrily on all manner of flavoured slices. Yum.
Happy Birthday young Will.
So this is my home for Easter and I'm quite happy about it all.
Gareth, along with Dave, a new gold prospecting friend (South Island hardened) are due up over the weekend to do some panning on a secret site we have uncovered. All we need is gold in them thar hills to prove our theory. Well it's really someone else's theory we are putting into action. But fingers crossed.
But that is in a few days time........ back to the now or the recent now.
This afternoon I turned out on to Maraetai Beach for a few hours relaxation therapy which involved detecting. My bout of gout has all but gone and the weather is still the summer that never ends.

The Beautiful Maraetai
Right of the Wharf

Wharf - Left side

I started off in my usual spot by the wharf on a almost deserted beach. It seems, strangely, that most people do work on the week days.
I headed straight down to the water line. Apart from a few rusty bolts and nails I eventually managed my first coin. A crusty $1piece. I did a few sweeps along the edge of the water but seemed to get mostly fugley iron interspersed with nails, nutless bolts and a few hot rocks (that probably were gold filled).
After 30 minutes or so I wended my way up the beach, mainly to dump all the heavy crap I had found, in the rubbish receptacle, crap that was pulling my shorts down, but still swinging I hit two coins in the soft sand on the way there. Figuring I had a several days to return to do the wet stuff I decided to stay dry and build up my already amazing spending reserves while the dry stuff still seemed freshly undetected. I do know a few brother detectors scan the area regularly.
Whilst coin shooting my way along the top end of the beach I met a nice cross section of people, all enjoying their day as I trundled up and down the area by the few shops that are there. The Devonport over 60's club were on their weekly trip in a charter bus and we had some good banter between us.  They ensured me that they would be keen for a mass senior citizen detect if only I could sort them out with detectors. When the shipment arrives from China I might just do that. Luckily to encourage interest I was able to uncover a few coins and they were present when the 'highlight' of the day a paua decorated crucifix with a few sparkling bits of glass fell into my basket. An attractive piece.

Very appropriate as I do get CROSS with
all the bullshit that goes with Easter

When the bus and my new friends left, I switched to the other side of the wharf and a few more coins were uncovered but again I spent a lot of time chatting to more of the locals and holiday makers both. A lady from Perth got very excited every time I stooped to dig and several older couples stopped to have a chat and impart their experiences. One guy was selling detectors in Stoke, England in the early 70's another had found Roman coins in Southern England. I also befriended two very attractive girls, Spanish so they said,  so I blew my opening line of "Buongiorno" as they did not, as it turned out, speak Italian. Win some...lose a lot. Befriended probably too stronger word. Well, I'm sure one of them smiled as least. They looked Italian to me. Pffft.

The days work

So after my three odd hours I garnered $4.00 exactly in spending and a lovely paua crucifix, three tent pegs (of course) and a Ray Ban cloth to display them all on. Plus a strange boat screw, which my brother says "comes in handy" but I expect you need a boat for that to happen. The finds were cool but the mere fact of wandering barefoot through warm sand with a gentle breeze under a sky of perfect blue was the best part. Or maybe the many interactions with people going about their day in the same carefree manner was the highlight. I'm not sure but I do know it was another great day detecting.

See you out there.

Hark the Herald Island

After being enjoyably sidelined with my daughters heading off to America party, my wife moving house, extreme shopping with my sister and hanging out with my Dad I was hoping for a good weekends detecting. But on Saturday I awoke with the start of a severe two day attack of gout in my right foot. So even with a limp I was keen this afternoon to finally able to get out amongst it again.

Add caption

The chosen venue was Herald Island, a small island situated behind the Whenuapai airbase, which we only decided on once we were on the road. Even with no research on possible sites there, it seemed a nice random place to go to anyway. It is reached by a tarmac causeway and we arrived in the late afternoon, with the sun still blazing hot.

We started off having a sniff around the wharf at the far end of the Island. I have been fishing with the kids off of this wharf over the years, without too much success. I was hoping to have a better strike rate under the wharf than I had on top of it. We pottered around for half an hour but it really was heavily trashed. Gareth, my partner in crime today, managed to pluck a solitary10 cent piece but the tear tabs and bottle tops poliferated the area and it is the most rubbish infested place we have yet visited. I found a mini screwdriver (Yay, but seem to have thrown it with the trash, boo), but we both soon tired of scraping up rubbish and we moved on. It was fairly easy to climb down under the wharf but with my gout still a bit tender getting back up was not as elementry. It's a bugger getting old. Soon, after checking the cricket score (NZ well in control v England), we were off to find a park we knew must exist somewhere on the island. The next bay, with the name Christmas Beach provided just that, a medium sized park adjacent to the beach. Still pickings were slim. Gareth pulled out a $1.10 and I managed 60 cents. 

I slipped down on to the little piece of beach that the tide had yet to reclaim and apart from finding a small spanner and a small buckle, all the targets were hot rocks and bottle tops.  (UPDATE : The spanner is not just 'a small spanner', it is a purpose built spanner made to change rivet heads on a rivet tool. Thanks to Ritchie for identifying this special fact. :) 

The buckle is just a cheap buckle.

The nice clean sand on this festive named beach and the shallow bedrock tempts a further visit when the tides are in our favour. All finds on this beach were less than three inches.



Special spanner, buck all and spending.

So after a few days away from detecting we were happy to be back out. The lack of real success did not dampen our enthusiasm and a bit of local knowledge imparted by a resident as we were leaving gave us an indication of where to search next time. Two ships were apparently scuttled somewhere off of Christmas beach in times past and occasionally relics such as large copper nails and brass fuglies get washed ashore. So we have now definately added Xmas beach to an increasingly long list of future visits.

See you out there.

Home sweet home

With the rain arriving after a few months of drought the ground, has over the last three days, become less like reinforced concrete, more like softish clay which is far more suited to detecting the grassy areas, that until now, I have shunned. I had a wee dabble in January at the Huapai domain, where my two old decimal coins came at a cost of a big blister on my palm. I have delicate hands :) so I've been awaiting the rains ever since.
Rather than drive across town in search of a park I thought I would do run around the homestead where I live. I've read stories of good finds in detectorists own back yards and hoped I could add a few too.

Look under washing lines for
good clean pocket spills.

I live on 10 acres of farm land and the lawn outside the main house looked like a good starting point. I'm not sure exactly when the house was moved onto the property but I reckon about the 1960's is a good guess (I've since been told the 70's).
I cleverly started under the washing line where all manner of things could drop out of upside down clothes. Though it seemed everybody who had lived here had nails and bits of no.8 wire in their pockets. It wasn't a big area and I immediately had several signals. First up was a twisted bit of no.8 wire, second dig uncovered a bent nail. The third target was a 8mm socket. Still shiny as. Then another three pieces of wire at the same three inch depth as the rest. Just time enough to suss out a green 10 cent piece a mere inch under the turf before there was a rain shower and I decided it was a good time for a coffee.

Thirty minutes later I was back on the front lawn and down about five inches I uncovered a George VI halfpenny. Which I enjoyed.

k-k-k-king g-gg-g-g-geor-ge-
oh bollox, Eddie the 8th's brother.

As an aside....George the sixth was the King with the stammer and he died from coronary thrombosis in 1952, moving Lizzy II into the hot seat.  His brother was King Ed the VIII who, in 1936, abdicated the throne for the charms of  Mrs!! Wallis Simpson, thus handing his younger brother George the title of King.

But I digress....... the coin is in very good shape on the face but in appalling condition on the reverse. As yet I can't see the date but I'm half hopeful this will be revealed after a clean. A nice find for me.

A few more bits of wire, a square headed screw and then another addition to my tool box, a nail punch, were the rest of my returns before lunch.

After a tasty bacon and egg sandwich I continued on around the front lawn finding mostly nails and a few bottle tops. For once there was an interesting bottle top. Down a good four inches, this top was from 'Marie Brizard et Roger International' which is a French alcoholic beverage company founded in 1755. It is a subsidiary of Belvédère, and is based in Bordeaux, France.
So there, bottle tops can be of interest.
My friend, Dave, arrived and as the sun emerged we shared the detector as we wandered around the garden. The amount of stuff we pulled out in three hours was quite amazing. No more coins but Dave dug up an old linked chain, about four foot long and hand forged he reckoned. I got an old rounded ended nail file and a  Dave replied with a rusty old rat tail file. The rest of the afternoon consisted of nails, wire, bottle tops, unknown iron things big and small, two tent pegs, one with a piece of tent, some staples, a small reinforcing rod, washers and a buckle of some sort.
See total find photo below.

Treasures from my doorstep.

It was a long day but not far to walk home (about 15 metres) to a nice cold bourbon and as I supped I wondered what else lies beneath our farm.
So an interesting hunt. Overheads were minimal :) and lots of material dug up. Not as lucrative as the beach or the park but the excitement of each find was still there. My best find was the halfpenny (close up coming soon) but I appreciated many of the other finds. My landlady and good friend Sarah, stood totally perplexed as Dave and I spent ten minutes deciding whether one object was a simply designed nail file or a feeler gauge. To be truthful we still don't know. But as I found it, it's a nail file.
Cool day.
See you out there.

Treasure Island.



Gareth has returned from Waiheke Island and his ATPro indeed uncovered treasure. In two evenings detecting, he dug up two rings, a bracelet, about $50 cash plus a 1 cent Spanish euro coin. A successful trip for the lad.

Gareth's Luxurious Lodgings, Overlooking Palm Beach

He detected just one beach, Palm Beach, which as an aside, is Waiheke Islands main naturalist beach. Gareth did not realise this and related how he found this information out. On his knees digging for gold he heard a ladies voice say "Have you found anything yet?". He looked up and right in front of him stood a rather rotund jovial faced lady completely naked. It scared the hell out of him. He said it wasn't the fact that she was naked that shocked him, it was the angle and level of his view. Never seen Garfy embarrassed before. 

His first find, a few inches down in the dry sand, was that Pandora bracelet he emailed about. Not.

I, with my knowledge of the teenage bracelet world, quickly saw that it was in fact a 'Charm It' bracelet. That and the fact some charms had 'Charm It' printed on the back :)

Hoped it was a Pandora. But hope
was still in Pandora's jar.

A quick google saw the expected 'Pandora value' drop from $600 to about $40 'Charm It value', but hey, still a nice find. After studying the charms, we decided it was a birthday gift to a young ballerina who liked watermelon and munched loads of cup cakes.              Note : For any potential Charm It designers, there is a contest on their website to design a your own charm.

Gareth continued his good run in regard to pulling in the spending, with both evenings being rich pickings for him. Although he doesn't know exactly how much as he spends it as he goes but $50 + was mentioned. Whereas I know I have found exactly $91 this year, to the cent.
His two rings were both found on his second evening again in the dry sand on Palm Beach. The first a lovely polished silver coloured ring featuring a lizard. Possibly a gecko, no hallmark but a delightful piece. The other ring, fairly worn, and made of a brass alloy, maybe, has a number of colourful stones, featuring a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald and a diamond, all wannabes but attractive none the less.

Gareth's First Two Rings of 2013

Nicer sort of Rings From the Nudist Beach

An interesting competition among us is who can find the most worthless coin. Richie with his one Baht was ahead, it being worth 4.103 New Zealand cents. But we now have a new leader. Gareth's one cent Spanish Euro is worth 1.584 NZ cents.

The most worthless coin yet.

See you out there. 

A Tale of Two Parks

It's been a few days since I ventured out and today, after completing my errands, I decided to have a quick search somewhere. It was raining for the first time in weeks, nay months, what better time to visit a park could there be. The light drizzle was so very refreshing for me and of course it kept away any visitors who might impinge on my solitude. After consulting the map of the area I was in, I noticed a couple of parks yet to be visited. The first was Moire Park, near Massey Rugby Club. It consisted of a main park and a separate swing park both barked. I'm still yet to replace my non metallic trowel, which I lost in the dark at Shelley Beach, so decided not to dig, just to sift. Luckily the bark was thick on the ground and there was a lack of obvious weed mat. Things started well a few minutes in, after a nail and large screw I chanced upon a pocket spill. Four coins and three being $2 coins!! That got my interest up and my quick search became a more organised one. I did the park in small grids and a regular supply of gold was uncovered. As per usual, it seems, a foreign coin was also unbarked, a Fiji 1994 two cent bit, I do like finding these overseas coins. 

Liz 2nd, Third Portrait, 1994.

Fiji Two Cents with Palm Fan

Within the hour I had $15.20, mostly $2 and $1 coins. I then moved on to the swing park across the way and with my successes there, I just manged to crack the $20 mark finishing up with $20.30, far the best return from a park this year.

I was on a small high and on consulting the map espied another park in Spargo Drive not 500 metres away.

So off I trundled.

What a difference.  

I found jack!!

I could say it produced jack as it did, a single jack, part of a set of five knuckle bones that most kids own at some stage. Even boys, well I had some anyway. So I'm soft! A notable first for me was a condom still in the packet, (thank goodness!!) expiry 01-2016. It was neatly buried under the slide, it seemed like it had been stashed. Maybe I should have left it there. I can imagine the anguish when it is found to be missing. And the consequences months ahead. Oh well, c'est la vie. I then found a small piston arm which I'll try and find something about. It looks familiar but the brain has yet to kick in to remember where I would have seen one.




Beach Cobra becomes Playground Cobra



Toy engine piston arm??? (3cm's)





  











As far as spending finds go, the 30 minute search produced a single ten cents. That bought  the total for the day to $20.40 spending and the Fiji 2 cents.

I'm happy with that.

Gareth (Garfy), meanwhile, has been hitting Palm beach, during the evening, on Waiheke Island where he is working. I've had a few emails from the lad and so far he has found a Pandora bracelet with 8 charms, two rings and a lots of coins. He also found? a spade. Replacing the one our pal Brendon left behind on our beer and detect evening. No pictures yet so all his finds are yet to be ratified :)

He's due back today.

See you out there.

Gareth finds tree old coins

A few quiet beers last night saw us discussing the merits of searching under old trees. Old trees that would have been used for shade over many years.  We figured that one big old tree all by itself would give no option to those seeking shade and more than likely be a home to many treasures, especially in well inhabited areas. Gareth remembered a lonely old oak tree that dominated it's surroundings in Riverhead Motor Park. The park being situated there for many years. Ritchie and myself are happy to let the ground soften up after some much needed rain that has yet to arrive. Not so Gareth, he slipped away on a solo run this evening. After getting permission he spent an hour with his ATPro around the oak with some success. His first target was 9 inches down and produced a 1949 New Zealand penny, he followed that amongst a lot of trash with a 1938 British penny and a 192? British halfpenny. The coins were in a bad state of repair, the halfpenny was the most  munted and the last figure from the date has yet to be verified ( So, I still have the oldest coin :) 1924).

The tree coins from under the ol' oak tree.

 Gareth also dug up a twisted spoon, probably plated, details yet to be determined.

Gareth's new trowel.



Gareth is off to Waiheke Island for a few days work and is hoping to cover the whole island before the weekend.

Hopefully he will keep us informed of his  progress.

See you out there.

Hunter, the treasue hunter.

Saturday was another steaming hot day, my Dad was enjoying his weekly chess matches with Uncle Mick, (a fifty year old ritual!) and my part in the preparations for my youngest daughter Melissa's 18th party started later in the day. That left me with four hours to kill and I went on a random, no particular goal, adventure. I drove till I saw a park then searched it. The lucky park was Virgo Park in Glen Eden. It caught my eye as drove past. A small park but I managed in 20 minutes to retrieve 50 cents all in 10 cent bits and a old favourite of mine, a cap bomb. Lot's of the usual nails and screws as well.

Part of Glen Eden's, star wars, 
nuclear deterrent arsenal.

I then had to visit Mitre10 in Glen Eden for a new nut to fit on my MD's arm rest which had shaken free and fallen apart. A metal nut which I frustratingly couldn't locate!!!

Having a sudden impulse, I headed for Titirangi Beach, which was not too far away. The spur was, whilst doing research on the PapersPast site last week, I had spied in the lost and found column of the Auckland Star, Issue 25, 29th January 1921, Page 1. This advert.

Lost : Gold wreath brooch set Rubies and Pearls, Peoples Park, Titirangi Beach. Keepsake. Reward. 92 Newton Road.

This reward was in the back of my mind as I drove beachwards, well one can dream can't one :) Even so I thought, where one item had been lost maybe more were begging to found. Titirangi Beach was a popular out of town resort in the earlier part of the 1900's, from what I've read, church and social gatherings there were common place. The tide was way out revealing sandy mud and bedrock further towards the sea. The heat had caused that muddy repugnant stench around the creek and further out on the beach which was very unappealing.

Titirangi playground, smelly beach in background.

I had been strolling around for several minutes when a young five year old boy, Hunter-Burrows made my company. It turned out he was a Hunter more than in name, he was also a seasoned treasure hunter and after a good chinwag we joined forces.
He was a bright lad and his enthusiasm and imagination reminded me of William Brown, Richmal Compton's fictitious schoolboy character who I still avidly read to this day.
If there was one thing I wanted it was to find something to make the little fellas day. But after two hours on the beach and in the big bark playground there was nothing, not even a 10 cent, to show for our efforts. I shortened the shaft and adjusted the headset and Hunter-Burrows did 10 minutes on his own but the weight of the detector was too much for him. His one and only signal after much excitement was disappointingly (for me) just a bottle top. His mother, Rebekah, a stunning young lady, sunbathing in a green bikini, made friends as well and I could see why her son was so bright and full of life. She had nurtured his sense of adventure and was as chatty as him. We persevered hunting for a while longer, a rusty metal clamp being the highlight. A metal clamp that was from a pirate treasure chest my little mate informed me.
After two hours we finally departed company as I was off to help with the party preparation and Hunter-Burrows left to relate his day to his friends next door.
I hope we meet again.
The heat had drained me and I was glad to get inside in the shade and get a cold drink into me while Dad reviewed his 2-1 chess loss to me.

So three hours searching for 50 cents but I had had a great day and Hunter-Burrows had expressed, with his wonderment at every find, the feeling I too get inside when uncovering my targets. I actually can imagine that that metal clamp was indeed part of a pirates hidden treasure. Just as my Uncle John would of in days of old.
See you out there.

Know your Goddesses from your Gods.

An unplanned, spur of the moment, solo run this afternoon, on the way to visit my Dad. Gareth shied off detecting as he had to get tyres for his babe magnet 'Samantha', a bright yellow sports car, which apparently really is a babe magnet. Must remember to paint the Rav.
So I set off towards my Dads not really intending to search at all. But after spotting a remote bark playground in Taupaki it took little contemplation to know I couldn't resist having a butchers. It was a lovely day, almost too hot, the New Zealand cricketers were taking England apart in Dunedin and I was enjoying listening to the radio commentary. Lunch was due to be taken and after listening to the last of the mornings overs in the car park I alighted the Rav4 and stepped on to the playground.
A young mother was pushing a happy chuckling little red cheeked man on the swing and after a wee chat with her, explaining my business, I began to swing myself. I think I impressed her with my first target 30 seconds in, a $1 coin which was the first of eleven coins I discovered in the small park. I always seem to strike early then fade away but this time it was a constant stream of good targets. Total spending found was $3.10 in the 40 minutes I was there.

In between coins I plucked a small bracelet. My myopic eyes, ever keen, saw a stamp saying stainless steel. Which I thought odd even though it was silver it didn't look too stainless. So I tucked it in my finds pocket. It was only when I returned to the car and put on my specs that I saw it was marked Siam Sterling .925. Which along with New Zealand's continuing cricketing heroics gave me a good buzz.

The whole blurred bracelet

The different links on the bracelet featured what I took to be some Hindu deity, Shiva came to my mind.
When arriving at my Fathers I got out the magnifying glass and studied it closer. I realised it was a nice find. I googled Siam Silver and found exactly the same design on necklaces, earrings, belt buckles and all manner of things big and small not just jewellery.


The bracelet is in fact Nielloware, a technique first used it is thought, in the 4th century in Egypt. 

Siam Silver Nekkala Goddess sans bodice

The term Niello refers to a method of decorating metal objects using engraving techniques. In this technique silver is rubbed into an indented pattern and then fired. When the object is polished, darkened areas remain for a decorative effect. This technique is often used in Siam Sterling Jewellery and it seems there is a whole collecting area of vintage jewelry referred to as Siam Sterling Nielloware.
This design displays Nekkala, the Goddess of Lightning from the Hindu
legend Ramayana, (nothing at all to do with Shiva, the Destroyer, who apparently is a male deity anyway). The term 'Siam' was used on these items from the early 1930's  well into  the 1980's so it is difficult to tell how old it is. No idea of value either.

So there you are. Lessons in Nielloware jewellery and Hindu deities. It is amazing where metal detecting can take one. One minute cruising around a park in Taupaki, the next investigating 1600 year old jewellery techniques from Egypt, then off to Thailand (Siam) then back to Dunedin to hear rain stopped play. It's quite a hectic life I lead :)


Above is the complete haul from the park including a iron ring with just one thread inside it, about 2kg's of nails, a few bolts, screws, a washer and a small rusty key.
A good days work.
See you out there.




 

Kaipara harbours gold and coins.

 

Shelley Beach in a heat haze. 

During the lads after work drinks the discussion inevitably found it's way to metal detecting. The fever kicked in or did it ever leave? Shelley Beach was mentioned and a quick check on the tides meant we could be there for low tide at 11.30pm. I cooked up a quick feed, sweet and sour prawns with a bit of spice to hopefully get the boys sweating. The meal disappointingly wasn't that hot but outside, even at our set off time of 8.30pm, it was still very warm.

It is a 40 km trip out to Shelley Beach and after a gas stop we arrived about an hour later.  A few camper vans were parked up for the night, a few pale faces peeking out to see the magnificent three don their headlights, tune their sticks and disappear seawards into the night. Otherwise the beach area was empty.



A reasonable sized bark playground was spotted at the southern end of the beach, you could hear it calling softly, "Don't forget me". We won't, seductive young park. 

Ritchies first ring and of course the silver

earring he found that day in the park.



Shelley beach is on the Kaipara Harbour, the biggest and muddiest harbour in the world. Though having white shelled sand at the top end of the beach it soon turns to mud the closer one gets to the low tide mark. As usual I headed for that very wet sand while Garfy patrolled the dry. Ritchie hit the barked playground first, conveniently placed on the reserve just for him and the yelling I heard soon after was Ritchie first ever ring. Picture soon. See above left.

I too had success with my first dig. A jewelled crucifix on a chain with another pendant that later was determined could be gold.

Cross my Heart you beauty



I'll let you know. 



I then dug up a succession of washers, brass bits of boats, bolts, and the fugly iron lumps that could be anything. The mud was everywhere and my thought to wear gumboots was a good one. I might have ruined a tee shirt and some shorts though. That mud stinks.

My next find worth keeping was my last. I hit the playground looking for my 'Go Home' coin and managed a single dollar, my solitary coin of the night.

I certainly hope my Cobra Beach Magnet is waterproof as I definitely gave it a good test out there.



A Token effort

Gareth it turned out had a cool find too. Well, two cool finds actually. Both the same. They were both shiny nickle tokens from Abberfield Industries. On further investigation I found the company provides 'Innovative solutions for revenue collecting equipment'. Based in NSW, Australia they have been in business for 47 years and they mint personalised tokens for companies for use in parking meters, vending machines and the like. There are three designs all different sizes for the full set of generic tokens. Outside of that there are a myriad of tokens the company has produced for others that look quite collectable. Cool huh. 

Getting in on the Jewellery act Garfy managed to release a stainless steel pendant with a snazzy design from it's sandy prison. About inch and 'arf and quite heavy. The design look's like a Sonny Bill Williams tattoo, so lucky for Gareth that he found it before the twelth hour otherwise it might have been beaten flat.

Once owned by Bruce Lee

Well done that man. 

 

Richard meanwhile was coining it. His loaned Garrett Ace150 was the coin devourer of the night. He ended up with $6.80 plus the ring and a few old decimals. A happy lad.





We wound up at just after 1am and after washing ourselves and equipment down with a handily placed water hose we wendled our way home. Ritchie hit the sack but Garfy and I sat with a coffee to muse over the evenings events with our sore bleary old eyes trying valiantly to find a hall mark on my pendant and doing so, faint numbers!! At 2.15 it was 'Rose gold' and at 2.30am it was  'Russian Gold'. Hmmmm.



This morning though the numbers we saw through wearied eyes, were looked at through a huge magnifying glass and are indeed just scratches that mean SFA and it is not my first gold. But a nice find none the less. And of course the sparkly bits of the crucifix might be diamonds :). Not.



So another great night time adventure and Ritchie's first ring. Yet to find what type, it was gold and covered in jewels but is it the real thing. We will have another look when he comes over after work. Gareth has already called in and wants an afternoon sortie to somewhere yet unknown.

See you out there.