Identifying copper sheathing from old boats?

[timbuckley]

Hi, Im a new member.
Ive been prospecting for a number of years.
Lately Ive been detecting on the beaches around my area NQ and keep finding small, broken pieces of copper sheeting - flat, thin heavily corroded. It snaps rather than bends and much of it is covered in 'beach concrete'. I figure its from a ship that was copper sheathed and has been breaking up over the years with the pieces getting washed up on the beaches around the area.
My question is - Is there any way of working out how old it is - either by its degradation or by the coral/sand build up?
Thanks for any replies.
Waiting for low tides for a couple of weeks now. I know there has been no detecting on these beaches ever so im hoping to work out where heavier items might end up in general but its a lot of beach.
I did manage to find a rear axle and a possible meat grinder auger, an old silver plated spoon (very heavily corroded copper base with silver plate lifting off all edges) and a few 1c and 2c pieces. Also endless bottle tops and alum ring pulls.
Never gets old. I dig every target and use an SDC2300

 

[silver]

Could be from an old toilet too.... the mens urinals were copper in the olden days with the bigger ones embedded in cement.
Keep a beach log though so you know where you are finding them, it could help build the bigger picture over time. Watch out for crocks up there too. Who knows what you might find... plenty of WW2 stuff washed up on the beaches and, if they're remote and nobody's ever done them ever.
good luck.

 

[CreviceSucker]

There were Portuguese / Spanish coins found in a few places up north dating approx 700 years old so you cant discount the possibility that a ship went into retirement there.

I think your mind already dwelled on that hope / possibility.

Good luck being first out there after a big storm

 

[grubstake]

Hi, TB - welcome aboard.

If I were you, I'd start by checking in with this mob:
https://queenslandhistory.org/

I imagine they'd be able to put you in touch with someone knowledgeable about old Queensland shipwrecks, who could help you in your quest.