Crystal Cove - ring and token

[johnj45586]

I just couldn't bear doing the chores around the house today. Then I figured out that if there is no one home then it doesn't matter if the chores are being done or not. Let's go treasure hunting!!!

Given the low usage of the beaches I decided I had to hunt a new beach and let the ones I have hunted slowly accumulate more goodies. It was a coin flip between Crystal Cove Beach State Park and Corona Del Mar. On the way I decided on Crystal Cove because I thought the recent high tide maxima may have washed out Corona Del Mar.

There are 4 1/2 miles of beach in the Crystal Cove park. That should take quite some time to grid. Today I entered in the southern most entrance, walked down the steps and proceeded to grid to the south. The plan was to go as far as the storm drain at the south (leaving about 1 more mile to the south for later). At the end of the last mile to the south are some foundations of houses that were destroyed during the last El Nino. The land is now part of the state park.

Within a few steps of my first walk toward the water I found a video token. That really perked me up. The hunt was going to be good no matter what else happened during the day.

I paced to the end of the dry sand, turned and started back toward the cliff and got a nice bell tone. I scooped and found a nice ring that could be strands of yellow and white gold or silver intertwined. It was a perfect fit for my wife and I have only gotten it back off her finger for a quick picture to add to this post.

It didn't look like there had been any other MDers out on this beach. Unfortunately most of the better finds (groups of coins) were deep at 18 to 24 inches. Also at 24 inches were aluminum cans, bottle caps and boucoup poptabs.

Two things gave me many false thrills. The high number of pop tabs (which is what a ring looks like too) and lead sinkers. Lead sinkers sound off like a big mass of gold. I found a "spill" of round lead sinkers.

For some reason dimes didn't sound like dimes at this beach. I don't have any explanation for that. Quarters, nickels and pennies looked like they normally do.

I have noticed that different beaches treat the clad differently (pennies excepted). At Crystal Cove the corrosion is more patchy and looks something like an acid corrosion mostly a green color. At Aliso Beach the coins were yellow. At Laguna Beach the coins are red.

Somewhere during the gridding I ran upon a Un Nuevo Sol from Peru. Turns out to be worth about 30 cents US.

The clad count was pretty good. I found 34 quarters, 35 dimes, 14 nickels and 51 pennies. I also found a couple of toys, one truck and one train car. I found a flattish green turtle with the markings "copyright 2002, bakery crafts, made in China. Not sure what it is for, but it is in my treasure box now. I also found a single aluminum pawn and a brass ball with an internal thread. The brass ball really knocked my socks off.

I have almost 3 miles north of where I searched today and probably about 1 mile south (maybe with a bonus around the old foundations). I may give this beach another go this weekend.

The tides are spectacular right now. They are at a high tide maxima (7 feet) and low tide minima (-1.6 feet) and there is a full moon. I may just do a very late hunt (we have to clear the beach here at 10 PM). Sunset was cloudless this afternoon and Catalina was pretty clear. The tide was very low and the tidepools were exposed. The full moon was coming up just as the sun was setting. It was a fantastic day at the beach.

Happy hunting to all.

[EBCIII]

Some grear finds John! The ring is very nice, and I like the turtle. Good hunt, sounds like you will be busy for a while on this beach, Beale.

[HaveFaith]

Very nice finds, I love the clad count! That ring is different though.

HaveFaith

[JCWhite]

Thanks for sharing the results from a great hunt. You are doing very well. JC

[NC_Hunting]

Nice finds ... I know that had to be a very enjoyable hunt ... congratz and continued success!

[anne]

Well done,nice finds

[Buster]

John, congrats on the hunt. Good job. I would bet you are correct in saying that you will not get that ring back. Oh well it's in good hands. I would give it up the same way to my wife. I plan to hit the beaches on Sunday with "E" and will try again to take my wife out to hunt with us. I will be taking a chair, drink and a book for her. Take care and Happy Hunting...Buster......

[gordiesgirl]

You are the king of the beach. good for you.

[Zman]

Nice finds John. My season is coming to an end soon so I will be looking to you guy's in the warmer climates to keep posting stuff.

[johnj45586]

Originally Posted by Zman

Nice finds John. My season is coming to an end soon so I will be looking to you guy's in the warmer climates to keep posting stuff.

No problem with that. As we get further into winter the beach stuff should continue to dry up more and more. But, hopefully, we will get some rain to finally soften the ground. I have some historic sites in mind that not many people know of related to stage coach lines and hot springs spas. I may finally get some time to hunt meteorites in the desert too.
I'll be very happy to post hunts for those in the frigid areas with frozen ground, ice and snow.
Happy hunting while it lasts.