There Be Treasure
The beach-cleaning never ends.
Seaside towns are sprucing up beaches, prompted by a 2007 state report that decried coastline conditions. That's great for most beach-goers—but what about the poor metal-detector enthusiasts whose booty may be snatched by cleanup crews? Frank Gianino, treasurer of the Massachusetts Treasure Hunting Association, says he isn't worried: Careless people always replenish the sands. A sampling of his big scores.
CIVIL WAR–ERA BULLET
Found in Scituate.
"I mean, why would there be bullets on the beach?" Gianino says. "Unless they were doing target practice or something."
SILVER-PLATED GOBLET
Found in Hingham.
"Maybe some guy was just launching his brand-new boat. The tide was high, over it went, so that was the end of that."
BATHHOUSE TOKEN
Found in Revere.
"If you went in the old days to Revere Beach, they'd have bathhouses. So when you came back in off the beach, you wanted to bring that back."
FIVE-INCH BRASS LOCK
Found in North Scituate.
"It had to have come off of a piece of furniture or something. You don't see that kind of detail in any kind of lock today."
CIVIL WAR–ERA BULLET
Found in Scituate.
"I mean, why would there be bullets on the beach?" Gianino says. "Unless they were doing target practice or something."
SILVER-PLATED GOBLET
Found in Hingham.
"Maybe some guy was just launching his brand-new boat. The tide was high, over it went, so that was the end of that."
BATHHOUSE TOKEN
Found in Revere.
"If you went in the old days to Revere Beach, they'd have bathhouses. So when you came back in off the beach, you wanted to bring that back."
FIVE-INCH BRASS LOCK
Found in North Scituate.
"It had to have come off of a piece of furniture or something. You don't see that kind of detail in any kind of lock today."
Originally published in Boston magazine, August 2008
