2009 December .pdf

THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE GOLD COAST TREASURE CLUB, INC.
VOLUME 34 NUMBER 12

DECEMBER 2009

A “MEMBERS ONLY” HOLIDAY PARTY WILL BE AT 7:00 P.M. DECEMBER 10
AT THE WEST PALM BEACH GARDEN CLUB IN DREHER PARK
IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
OUR CODE OF ETHICS: HAVE PERMISSION AND DO NO HARM

2009 HOLIDAY PARTY
Please join us on December 10th for another great
holiday bash! Betty Laur and her committee have been
working behind the scenes to organize an event that you
won’t want to miss. As always, it’s free to members.
Non-members and guests are welcome to join us for $10.
The club will provide meats and condiments, while
members are asked to bring a side dish. When you call
Gail to RSVP, please ask for an update of side dishes
needed. Note that all dishes must be ready to eat, with no
heating required. Please bring a serving spoon and
warming tray if needed. If you don’t cook, ask Gail for
suggestions of what you can pick up at the store.
One of the highlights of our holiday party is the
Dessert Contest. Those who wish to participate in the
contest will be eligible for prizes for the best homemade
desserts. So, dust off your recipes and start baking!
Hunt Master Linda Bennett will announce the
Treasure Hunter of the Year Award and runners up,
not to mention some silly “dubious awards” for members
who have provided comic relief this year.
As in years past, one door prize ticket will be given
per family membership. As a reminder, there will be no
tall tales tables, mystery item, monthly best finds or
50/50 drawing during the holiday party, because there’s
simply too much going on!
For 14th years, our club has donated to Home Safe to
benefit the abused, neglected and abandoned children of
Palm Beach County. We know the economy is tighter
than ever, but we ask members to make whatever
charitable donation they can afford to make this year.
Please bring a check, made out to “Home Safe,” or
donate cash to help these deserving children.

Please RSVP to Gail Hoskins at 561-967-2923 by
December 4th and sign up to bring a side dish. We’ll
need the number in your party, if you’ll be bringing
guests, and the ages of any children who will be coming
so we can do a little something special for the kids.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY RAFFLE
Elayne Lynch has made a Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus
and a Snowman out of Readers' Digest magazines, plus
she has decorated three Sand Dollars as tree ornaments –
all to raise money for our club. Raffle tickets are for sale
during the November and December meetings for only
$1 per ticket, or 6 tickets for $5. All proceeds will go to
the GCTC. The drawing will be held during the
December Holiday Party. Thank you, Elayne, for using
your talent and creativity to make this generous donation
to our club!

CLUB HUNT
Due to the busy month of December, no club hunt
will be scheduled.
May All GCTC Members and Their Families Enjoy
a Joyous Holiday Season & a Prosperous New Year!

MEMBERS BUY AND SELL COLUMN
THE GOLD COAST TREASURE CLUB, INC.
Founded in 1973 by Ted Rudd
President
Mindy Spiroch
561-432-7242
Vice-President
Stacey deLucia
561-687-2310
Secretary
Jan Smirnow
561-735-8921
Treasurer
Ken Lubinski
561-762-0116
Hunt Master: Linda Bennett
561-791-7682
Cell Phone: 561-352-4068
Assistant Hunt Master: Gary McNew
561-718-5523
Sales and Raffle Promoter
Elayne Lynch
Photographer: Steve Hoskins
Librarian: Cheryl Petenbrink
Hospitality Hostess: Betty Laur
Doorprize Coordinator: Karen Larson
Membership: John Lobota and Jim Sharp
Newsletter Co-Editors:
Linda Bennett and Stacey deLucia
Email: gctreasureclub@yahoo.com
Website: www.geocities.com/gctreasureclub/

CLUB MAILING ADDRESS
c/o Gail Hoskins
206 Russell Dr
Lake Worth, FL 33461

Dues are $30 a year
New members pay an
initiation fee of $5
and $30 if joining between Jan 1st
and the end of June
or $15 if joining between July 1
and Dec. 31

REILLY’S TREASURED GOLD offers a complete line
of new & used detectors, scoops, cleaners, tumblers, and
books. The shop also does custom metal working and laser
detailing. For details, call 954-971-6102. Low prices plus 10%
discount to members! See their website: www.rtgstore.com.
TOM LIEBERMAN – Ready to serve your real estate
needs. Call 561-852-7409; email: telieberman@aol.com
ED WESTON – WANTED: Collectable and antique
fishing tackle. Lures, rods, reels. 561-622-9282.
FRANK NASH – Minelab and Fisher metal detectors for
sale: palmbeachmetaldetectors.com. GCTC will receive 10%
of the net profits of all new detectors purchased by club
members. Call 561-743-5248.
JERRY LAUR – Stainless Steel Ruger Mark II, 22 cal
pistol: $350; Excalibur 1000 in excellent shape: $800. All
items are like new with little use. Call Jerry between the hours
of 8 AM to 8 PM @ 561-694-7963.
LINDA BENNETT – new Headhunter PiratePRO won at
GSBSO. Brand new, in box with two-year warranty. Retails at
$439; asking $350. Call 561-352-4068.
TESSA DURAND – BUY OR SELL AVON. Just imagine
yourself as the CEO of your own Company! Check out my
website, order online, direct shipping right to your door.
www.youravon/tdurand-owens.com or call 561-358-2252.
GARY MCNEW – WANTED: Any unwanted finds, such
as electronics, whole or in pieces, unwanted jewelry in any
condition and even “cauliflower” pennies. I’ll have a container
at the meeting for you to drop stuff in. Also wanted, “Dead or
Alive,” old computers and video games. 561-718-5523.
MINDY SPIROCH – FOR SALE: White's Prism V Metal
Detector. Excellent condition, selling for $300. Call 561-4327242 (Home); 561-329-9984 (Cell).
STACEY deLUCIA – FINAL REDUCTIONS! FOR
SALE: Excellent condition Sony Trinitron 37” HDTV.
Purchased for $1,693 – sacrifice for $200. Matching wooden
dining/living room set in light cream: Oval dining room table
with leaf insert and four chairs ($95); lighted china cabinet
with glass display shelves, two cabinets, one drawer for storage
($195); expandable bar/TV stand with drawer and storage
cabinets ($40); entry table/sofa table with three shelves and
matching octagon two-shelf end table great for displaying
treasures, shells, etc. ($15 for pair). Cream-colored desk with
drawers and wooden folding chair ($20). Misc. household
items. Call or email for photos. Also: Hard-sided detector
travel case with lock and key. Protect your investment! Built
safe to withstand air travel and even the roughest baggage
handlers! Padded interior with “pick & pluck foam” for custom
fit. Used once. VERY STURDY! ($40) 561-687-2310 or
sdeLuc823@aol.com.
Club members may advertise items for sale or items wanted,
free of charge. The club does not profit unless noted in the ad.
Sometimes ads will need to be edited due to available space.
Items do not have to be related to metal detecting. Contact
Linda Bennett to place your ad.

MONTHLY BEST FINDS CONTEST

Second Place for Monthly Best Finds

(Winners receive a silver quarter and certificate)

(Runner up receives a silver dime and certificate)

BEST GOLD – Frank Nash

Gold – Tom Lieberman (Necklace)

18 Kt Gold and Diamond Ring

Silver – Gary Spiroch (Ring)

BEST SILVER – Nikolay Malchev
Silver Ring with Stone

Costume – Cheryl Petenbrink (Fake Rolex Watch)

MOST UNUSUAL – Gary McNew

Wood with Bronze Spikes from 1715
Coin – Mindy Spiroch (1936 Wheat Penny)

COSTUME JEWELRY – Gary McNew
Bulova Watch with 11 Diamonds

MONTHLY WINNERS

BEST COIN – Gary McNew
Canadian Dollar

Frank Nash, Nikolay Malchev, Gary McNew

Please remember:
Only current members can participate in the
Monthly Best Finds Contest!!!

Good Will Ambassadors Performing

UNSUNG HEROES

Random Acts of Kindness

Thank you letter for Frank Nash

The GCTC recognizes members who provide selfless
service to our community. The first time a member returns
an item, that individual receives a metal detecting pin
(handcrafted by Steve Hoskins) to wear on his or her hat, in
addition to a certificate of appreciation. Future returns are
recognized by additional certificates. Kudos to all club
members who go out of their way to return items to their
rightful owners. The actions of each of our “Ambassadors
of Goodwill” enhance the public’s perception of our hobby!
Way to go, gang!

“Frank Nash is a patient at our dental office. We remembered
he owned a metal detector and called him in a panic to ask for his
help to find a diamond bracelet. Jackie, the doctor's wife, thought
she may have lost it while walking the dog out in the yard outside
of the office. The bracelet is valued at about $10,000 and was not
insured so naturally Jackie was very upset about it. We had
looked throughout the yard ourselves but the grass was very thick
and it was difficult to see very much.
Frank came right over with his metal detector and within 15
minutes had found it. We were not outside with him while he was
looking for it and because he's the honest guy that he is he
brought it right into the office to show us. We were all thrilled,
especially Jackie and Dr. Steckler. We are so grateful to Frank
for responding so quickly to help us in our seemingly hopeless
situation. God bless him.” Katie Cicenia

Repeat Ambassador

Jim Sharp
Returned a Wedding Band

Frank Nash
Returned a Diamond Bracelet

Gary McNew
Returned a Cell Phone

Thank you letter for Jim Sharp
“I am writing this letter to thank Mr. Jim Sharp, the Security
and Custom Service Coordinator at the Breakers for magical
retrieval of my gold band on the morning of September 27, 2009.
My wife and I stayed at your first-class resort last week for the
American Thyroid Association meeting. Last Saturday evening,
we took a walk along the beautiful beach. However, when I tried
to wash sands off my left hand, my gold band suddenly slipped off
my ring finger. Before I knew it, the band was swept away by the
receding tides.
Next morning the ocean was quieter and the water level lower
as we figured. However, there was no sign of my band at all I
desperately looked around and saw a gentleman at distance
looking for "treasures" with a metal detector. I approached him
and hoped that he might be able to help. The gentleman was Jim
Sharp. a Breakers employee of the Security and Customer Service
Department as he friendly introduced, handing me his business
card. Mr. Sharp quickly went to the spot of interest and began the
daunting task of searching for an invisible tiny object. He assured
me that if he couldn't find it before my departure at 9:30 am, he
would chart the area for a larger scale search with more
manpower and mail me the band. Although 1 realized that it was
uncertain whether Jim could retrieve my band at all, his friendly
manner, confidence, and compassion greatly relieved my anxiety.
Magically, not long after I entered my room to pack. the phone
rang. Jim happily told me he found the band and asked me to meet
him in the lobby! I was, and still is, totally amazed how efficient
he was.
I highly commend Mr. Sharp's work ethics and outstanding
performance. My encounter with him greatly enhanced my
experience at the Breakers. I hope my letter will prompt your
recognition of Mr. Sharp's dedication and excellence. His
contribution to the Breakers made a great organization greater."
Ping Wen (Columbus, Ohio)

UNSUNG HEROES CONTINUED
Gary McNew was hunting the slopes at Lake Worth
Beach and found a cell phone. Gary explains: “It was wet and
caked with sand with no sign of life to it. At home my son
comes in to inspect my finds, sees the phone, picks it up and
says, ‘Oh cool, you found a phone, and it works too!’
Heather looked through the contacts and found one labeled
“DAD.” She called it and a man answered. She told him that I
had found this phone on the beach. He told us that it was his
teenage daughter’s phone that she had lost the weekend
before, and apparently it was the third one she had lost this
year. I met him later that day and returned the phone to him
and was rewarded with $20 and a big thank you.”

******************************************
NOVEMBER MEETING
With forty-six members in attendance, President Mindy
Spiroch called the November meeting of the Gold Coast
Treasure Club to order by recognizing the many Veterans at
our meeting. Guests were Edward Mitchell, Bruce Harner,
David Pilot, Vladimir Nedashkovskiy, Kathy Ayon,
Michelle Denski and Cathy Wenner
Mindy apologized to those in attendance regarding the last
minute change in the program due to a death in the family of
Red Cross volunteer Jennifer Plant. Mindy asked those
present to share any “tall tales” and funny stories related to
their metal detecting adventures. Those present pitched in
with the following previously untold stories:
Ed D’Amato – “I received a 1924 Silver Quarter in
change the other day! I told the clerk that it was valuable. I
don’t think it was understood. He replied, ‘a quarter is a
quarter.’ I answered back, ‘No, it is not!’”
Nikolay Malchev – “I have a friend who works at Publix.
She collects the change and finds valuable coins. One time
she actually found a gold coin!”
Nick Mosca – “A lady at Walgreen's found enough
Mercury silver dimes to make three rolls. I bought them from
her!”
Guy Bachman - “I was hunting Delray Beach. Normally I
stop and talk, but this day it was just too hot, so when a kid
asked me ‘What are you doing?’ I replied, ‘Looking for
Landmines from WWII!’ The kid spread it around to his
friends. Before long, 50 people left the beach. Good for me!”
Gary McNew brought in Sea Beans that he collected the
past weekend. A vast array of seeds was pushed onto the
beaches from the westward winds as they travel north in the
Gulfstream current from South America. Gary carried his
scoop to collect the seeds. Even with no metal detector in his
hand, he was constantly approached by fellow beach goers
asking if he had found anything. For more info about seeds,
Gary recommends two books, Florida’s Living Beaches and
Sea Beans from the Tropics. (If interested, check with Paul
Hamlin. He sells the books at his store, Seashore Gifts in
Lantana, and will give club members a discount.)
John Presslein - “On our way here, we stopped in
Chicago overnight and stayed a very nice hotel with a beach.
The morning we were ready to leave, I walked outside and
found a beautiful diamond bracelet - without my detector! I
was so excited; I immediately went back to the room and

showed Carol. She took one look and said, ‘Thank you John!
It is mine. I must have lost it last night after dinner when we
went for our stroll!”
Paul Hamlin - “Working in the water, I was asked to find
a lady’s ring. After forty-five minutes of looking, I asked
where their things on the beach were. Sure enough, I found
the ring under the blanket where she was sitting!”
Tom Lieberman was metal detecting at Spanish River
when a lady approached him and asked if he would help her
find her keys. Being that the lady was panicky, Tom tried to
calm her down and started searching for her keys. After
about an hour of looking, he told her that he was sorry, but
maybe the keys were picked up by someone already. He
asked her to search her clothing, just to be sure. Guess what!
They were in her back pocket! Tom said to the lifeguard,
“They’re always in the last place you look!”
Tip Of The Month – Paul Hamlin advised all Excal users
not to set their sensitivity too high and to be sure that the
cable is wound snugly. A loose coil will cause false signal
noises in the water. He advised the members to keep the coil
protector on and to be sure to clean it often, because the sand
and salt collecting under the cover will interfere with the
machine functioning properly. He further suggested not to
run the Excal in “auto.” Turn the threshold on about 2/3 of
the way and then adjust sensitivity until it sounds
comfortable. “I’ll take a low tone anytime,” Paul said, adding,
“Read your manuals, and slow down!”
Nomination Committee – Paul Hamlin reported on the
calls the committee made. Only one volunteer, Ed D’Amato,
stepped forward. Ed was elected to the Treasurer’s position
for the incoming year 2010. Our present Treasurer, Ken
Lubinski, is moving to the panhandle of Florida. Ken will
maintain his membership with the club and promises to drop
in when he is in town.

BIRTHDAYS
November birthday celebrants Les Batts, Gay Konnagan,
Tom Lieberman and Frank Nash each received a gold
presidential dollar for attending the meeting during their
birthday month. Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH TO:
Joseph Cook (12/7)
Brenda Dickerson (12/18)
Carol Presslein (12/27)
Laura Reilly (12/23)
Jack Saint (12/26)
Jarrett Spiroch (12/6)
John Zabriske (12/26)
******************************************
WINNER OF $50 CASH - MINDY SPIROCH

BURIED COIN CACHE
FIRST CLUE:
You won't find any wooden buttons at this park with
your metal detector but you will find the treasure!
SECOND CLUE:
Go around and around and park – Don’t cry if you find
nothing, but look in your tear drops.
Item buried is a small vitamin container 2 3/4" long and 1 1/2 " in
diameter. It is placed in a Ziploc® bag.

Burial of cache and the clues are provided by Cheryl Petenbrink.
If found by a club member, that person will receive a $25 prize
AND earn the right to bury the next cache! Good luck everyone!
Start digging! And be sure to fill all holes!

*******************************************
TALL TALES
During an evening backyard wedding reception, someone
lost a gold ring with diamonds that had much sentimental
value, having been in the person’s family since the mid
1870’s. Steve Hamedl, President of SFTHC and member of
GCTC, received the initial call. He then called Linda
Bennett. Linda spent the next two hours searching the huge
yard. A few days later, Karen Larson joined Linda to spend
another two hours for an unsuccessful hunt. They found
costume jewelry and some coins, but not the ring. The owner
of the ring and the home owner appreciated their efforts.

*******************************************
PAUL HAMLIN'S TIP OF THE MONTH
Are you fast or are you slow? “That” is the question. The
fast get the ground covered! The slow cover the ground!
Which are you? Good luck to all in 2010. Have fun, Paul.

*******************************************
HISTORY IN THE PARK
Saturday, December 5, 2009 - 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Local Historian and author, Richard Procyk, will lead a
tour of the battlefield and discuss the archeological
discoveries of the Fort Jupiter encampment found in the mid
1980’s.
For free reservations, call: (561) 966-6686.
Riverbend Park is located at 9060 Indiantown Road in Jupiter,
one mile west of the Florida Turnpike/I-95 exits. For more
information about History in the Park, call club member Guy
Bachman at (561) 736-7435.

*********************************************
MEMBER TIPS
John Presslein brought in a new pair of headphones from
Radio Shack, called 2XL Bass Headphones. He reports that
they are "really light weight, work well, cost $15 and come in
blue, green and pink. I highly recommend them!”
John Lobota mentioned a new wireless and computerized
detector that will soon be available. The detector is being
developed in France. John will keep us updated when more
details are known such as price, etc.

ELAYNE AND HEATHER’S CORNER
AND THE WINNERS ARE!

DOOR PRIZES
Silver Half Dollar – Elayne Lynch
Silver Quarter – Nikolay Malchev
Silver Quarter – Jim Sharp
Silver Quarter – Elayne Lynch
Silver Dime – Elayne Lynch
Angel Alert – Al Schwartz
Coffee – Paul Hamlin (2), Heather McNew, Jan Smirnow,
Marilyn Batts
Holiday Music – Joe Cook
Photo Album – Jim Sharp and guest
Pepper Spray – guest
Kellyco Pouch and $5 Certificate – Gary McNew
Journal – Nikolay Malchev
Kellyco Pouch – Les Batts
Hat – Jim Sharp
Plastic Collection Bags – Al Schwartz and Bob Smirnow
Fall Cookie Cutters - Nick Mosca
Donations of items for our monthly drawings (and other
events) are always appreciated! Thank you to the following
donors: Ed D’Amato, Jim Sharp, Gary Spiroch, Mindy
Spiroch, Elayne Lynch, Nick Mosca and Paul Hamlin

50/50 DRAWING
Joe Cook won $58 for his share of the 50/50 drawing.
Cha-Ching!!! Congrats, Joe!!! It pays to play, guys, so don’t
forget to purchase YOUR tickets!

MYSTERY ITEM
New members often wonder “WHAT the heck is a Mystery
Item?” Each month, one club member volunteers to try to stump
fellow members by choosing a secret item that is revealed after the
break. If an item in a member's Tall Tales Table Display matches
the Mystery Item, that member wins a silver quarter! So be sure to
always bring and display ALL your finds, even the junk! Sorry
gang…the person supplying the Mystery Item doesn’t get the silver
quarter if they stump the club. BUT, they DO get a free door prize
ticket for their effort!

November’s Mystery Item was supplied by Stacey
deLucia. Her selection was a Skoal Can. Tom Lieberman
was able to produce one from his vast collection bag to win a
silver quarter. (Tom is a frequent winner because he brings all
his finds! Bring all YOUR finds and you could win, too!)

*******************************************
OTHER GREAT FINDS
Seen on the November Tall Tales Table

CLUB DIRECTORY
The directory is for the personal use of members only.
Names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses are to
be used only for contact within the club. Notify Jan
Smirnow at 561-735-8921 with errors or omissions.

.******************************************
FOREIGN COINS
Our club, along with the South Florida Treasure Club,
continues to collect foreign coins to donate towards a
summer camp for handicapped children. This is a yearround project that brings joy to children as they learn how
to detect, despite their challenges. If you have coins to
donate, please see Linda Bennett, who will make sure
your donation goes to the right place. YOU can be a hero
to a child in need!

*******************************************
RECYCLING & DONATIONS
Jan Smirnow collects unwanted cell phones and used
ink cartridges to raise money for the GCTC. Only namebrand cartridges purchased from office supply stores
qualify for recycling. Generic ink cartridges are NOT
accepted. Jan is also collecting pull tabs that will be
donated to the Ronald McDonald House. Please SAVE
yours and give to Jan. Each donation helps!
Stacey deLucia collects prescription glasses and
sunglasses for the South Florida Lion’s Club. Please bring
your donations to the next meeting. (If possible, a gentle
rinse with water to remove sand would be appreciated.)
John Lobota accepts member donations of metals,
such as brass, copper, and lead weights found while metal
detecting. John takes them to the recycling plant to sell for
scrap. All cash raised helps to replenish our treasury, so
please see John to donate your unwanted trash! Why
waste all that digging by throwing the junk out, when we
can turn your trash into cold, hard cash for our club?
TALL TALES TABLES TOTALS FOR 2009
AS OF NOVEMBER:

DOLLAR AMOUNT: $3,712.37
PLATINUM: 9
GOLD: 122
SILVER: 217

HAPPY TIDBITS
Western and Eastern Magazine recognized our club
in the last two issues. The column, “Club News and
Views,” mentioned club members and their monthly finds.
The October issue recognized Gary Spiroch for his
diamond ring and sterling silver ring with engraving; Tom
Lieberman – silver Yurman bracelet; Mindy Spiroch –
cigar cutter; Eddie D’Amato – 14K gold ring with citrine
stone and CZ’s; Jim Smith – 1875 Trade dollar.
The December issue mentioned Cheryl Petenbrink –
14K white gold ring with diamonds; Nikolay Malchev –
silver Tiffany & Co. ring and 14K gold Rolex ring.

Membership Renewal Form
Name___________________________________
Address_________________________________
City and State____________________________
Zip Code________________________________
Phone #_________________________________
Cell Phone #_____________________________
Email __________________________________
Please

_______DO

______DO NOT

Include my name, address, phone # & e-mail
address in the new club directory.
(Note: directory goes to members ONLY.)

MAIL TO:
Gold Coast Treasure Club
Gail Hoskins
206 Russell Drive
Lake Worth, FL 33461

TCAS 23rd ANNUAL BENEFIT HUNT
The Treasure Coast Archeological Society in Sebastian
will be holding its competition hunt on Saturday, March
13, 2010 from 9 AM until 4 PM at Kiwanis-Hobart Park,
Wabasso, Florida. The cost is $85 for the whole day. All
hunts, plus lunch, are included in the fee. If you pay
before March 1, 2010, the cost is only $75. Hunt
applications will be available at the GCTC meetings.
For further information regarding the hunt contact:

Mitch King, Hunt Coordinator, at
mking11@earthlink.net or
http://www.tcas.us/tcashunt.htm
CLUB ITEMS FOR SALE
Pens with Club Name: $3.00
Club Towels: $3.00
Club Patches: $5.00
GCTC Travel Cups: $8.00
Club T-shirts: $12 - $15
NEW: Club Hats with GCTC Logo: $12.00

TREASURER’S REPORT: $2,074.52

Errors in grammar and spelling are added for those who like to find them.
Linda Bennett newsletter co-editor

UPCOMING EVENTS
December 5: History in the Park at Riverbend Park 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
December 10: Holiday Party 7:00 p.m.
No Club Hunt in December
March 13, 2010: TCAS Competition Hunt

NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS
Thanks to the following contributors:
Linda Bennett, Stacey deLucia,
Jan Smirnow, Paul Hamlin and Cheryl Petenbrink.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AND SEE OUR NEWSLETTER IN FULL COLOR:
WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/GCTREASURECLUB/