There’s a rumor going around about certain people receiving Socks and underwear for Christmas. It can mean either things are looking tough for 2025 and beyond or has Santa been grossly misinformed for what I wish for.😏
“Black birds tend to like shiny things.” ~ The Bloody Raven
As we are on the eve of the Christmas celebrations for 2024, I may as well list my remaining wishes here. My overall wish list has evolved, after mulling over my list some fall out of disfavor, while others continue to be my perennial favorite wish items until it either gets fulfilled or something way better comes along. The following are from last year’s 2023 12 Days of Christmas;
Day 8; 2013 $50 Canada HMS Shannon & The USS Chesapeake A battle of Honor in 1812.
Day 9; 2013 $1 Tuvalu The Dementer, Famous Ships that never sailed series.
Day 10; St. Bee’s Silver Throwing Star. Deemed illegal in Canada.
Day 11; 2022 $5 Niue Grand Shipwrecks of the World; San Jose. Sunken Treasures.
My Day 12 silver Christmas wish coin
And with a spring board from my Day 11’s 2022 $5 Niue Grand Shipwrecks of the world San Jose coin transitions to my final coin for 2024 Day 12; That is, any 8 silver Reales coin certified coming from the 1708 Shipwreck of the San Jose that was found off the coast of Columbia.
The recent report was in May 2024 when the Columbian government announces the launch of an expedition to the site of the San Jose that sank back in 1708. In the following August the Columbian government reported and released photos and video footage of the wreckage site but has yet to show what the navy has recovered so far.
We’ll have to be patient. Would a few show up on Ebay? Not likely. There will be predictable fakes claiming to be from the 1708 San Jose perhaps. But keeping an ear out on the big name auction sites; Heritage, Christie’s, Southeby’s, Philip’s etc. The estimated auction prices will likely be astronomical and will depend on how many are recovered and how many eventually get to the markets.
I would expect the best recovered specimens to be set aside for archeological historical and cultural objectives and purposes. Some of the most common pieces may be gifted to museum curators, scholars, intellectuals, officials and individuals involved in the identification and cataloging of all the recovered artifacts of the San Jose Shipwreck.
A significant portion of the treasure may likely have been subject to erosion and exposed to the shifting sands and elements over the more than three hundred years at the bottom of the sea. While gold coins and bars are repetitively stable silver coinage do deteriorate given long time exposure to salt water. And common coins that are reasonably legible, mediocre grade, or too eroded to be identifiable tend to be the ones that end upon the auction markets.
Here's an example of a coin I have showing evidence of long termed exposure to salt water.
This genuine Pillar 2 Reales was from a sunken trove but no certification or pedigree indicating to where this coin was recovered from. Note: I'd prefer to have some certification but considering the price I got it for I happily snapped it up.
You can see on this coin reverse from the 2 o'clock position to the six o'clock position is where the coin was subject to slow electric anion corrosion from the saline environment. The copper in the coin has a higher valance than the silver and is electrically leeched out of the coin before the silver binding to the negative ions. After sufficient time the exposed surface of coin acquires the characteristic spongy appearance.
Using a Sigma Verifyer the corroded two to six o'clock segment of the coin will read a higher purity up to even 99% silver with most of the copper leeched out.
The entire obverse side on the other hand has been exposed to the saline environment. The lack of circulation kept this side from deteriorating to the extent of the reverse side's effected segment.
Still a wonderful little treasure coin. If you only had a story like the San Jose. For now, I will have to imagine and adventurous one for you.
With Christmas arriving soon I am feeling excited about Christmas. Canada Post is now running I don't mind getting my Secret Santa package late. I had a delightful walk in the neighborhood to take in the home color lights. If I just get socks and underwear for Christmas then so be it, I am content in the greatest treasure my Lord and Savior.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas season my friends, Yo ho ho!
My 2024 12 Days of Christmas Wish list posts;
Day 1; 2024 S.S. Tilawa Shipwreck Voyage 1 Troy Silver round.
Day 2; Scottsdale Omnia Type 2 Silver Round.
Day 3; 2022 $2 EC8 St. Vincent and the Grenadines Warship Silver Round.
Day 4 and Day 5; 2022 and 2023 $2 EC8 Antigua & Barbuda Rum Runner.
Day 6 and Day 7; 1996 Netherlands 3 Daalder VOC Series Medals.
Stacking Crypto Precious metals for those dark stormy days!
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #silvergoldstackers pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. Landlubbers arrrh… welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got!
References & Sources
Photos are my own shot with an ancient 2018 Samsung SM-A530W or otherwise indicated.
P. Image under Pixabay
W. Wiki Commons
☠️🎃 Page Dividers by thekittygirl. ❄️🌞
Cameo Raven Brooch from The Black Wardrobe.
The 2024 Hive 0.999 Silver Round.
Vampire Freaks Store Bat Socks.
Wiki; 1708 Shipwreck of the San Jose Spanish Treasure Galleon.
Old World Map background from BellaTerra Publishing LLC by Bella Stander. BellaTerraMaps.com
Physical precious metals bullion stacking is only a part of my personal overall financial strategy. Meanwhile, collecting numismatics are a different set of objectives and strategy. Please, do your research before deciding to buy any bullion or numismatic products.
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