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Do You Return Rings You Find? (& A Story)

C

Critterhunter

New member
I'm not one of those types who will try to hunt down a ring owner to return it. I figure just like gold recovered from sunken ships that it should go to whoever made the effort to find it. That's the whole point to me. The way I look at it just about everybody has lost coins in their life. Are you going to go up to people and give them some of the coins you found to make up for the ones they must have lost in years gone by? Of course not, so why do it with rings is the way I think about it.

On the other hand, my "in morality" only goes so far. I was in a gas station the other day when a woman came in and asked the clerk if they had found a gold necklace, which the clerk responded no to. After I paid for my coffee and smokes I was looking down at my feet in the parking lot as I made my way back to the truck. About twenty steps into it I easily spot the gold necklace laying on the black top. It was thin, but when I picked it up I knew it was a real high K value because the thing was very heavy. Looked around the parking lot and noticed the girl getting in her car at one of the gas pumps. Walked over and asked her what it was she lost to be sure. Handed it over to her and she was ecstatic. Seems her dad bought it for her right before he died (at least I'm pretty sure that's what she said in all her excitement). I told her that I detect for things like that and I must admit that at first I was sorry to see her still in the parking lot, otherwise I said I would be cashing it in for it's gold value. But, I told her that after seeing how happy she was to have it back that I was real happy myself that she hadn't left. Way I look at it that's good Carma, so the universe OWES me another gold ring soon. :biggrin:

Moral of the story? If somebody comes around asking if anybody found something they lost then take your good old time trying to find it. If you do find it, have a smoke, drink some coffee, talk with a few strangers, and only then look around and see if that person is still around so that you can "do the right thing". If they aren't then that's too bad for them I guess. :devil: Of course I'm joking here...It was a good feeling.
 
Ethics is an Interesting topic -

If a cashier shorts me change do I say something? If they give me too much change back? If I find a wallet with $$$ and ID in it do I return it? If I see somebody unknowingly drop some $$ bills on the ground do I say something?

I have returned several rings, some were rings that I was looking for while I hunted a private yard, some were High School Class Rings with the owner's ID printed right on it. By far, most of the rings that I've found aren't returnable because there is no 'ID' on it. Do I feel guilty that I keep these? No.

I guess this is where the Golden Rule comes in: Treat others like I would like to be treated.

My reputation is really all that I own. Sure I have spent A LOT of money on detecting equipment and such and enjoy finding valuables such as coins, trade tokens, jewelry and relics. I have invested thousands of hours of time over the years honing the skills that I use today. Do I run around trying to give all that I find away? Certainly not. The items I find do have value. The flip side is, Do I return something valuable that obviously belongs to somebody else? Sure I do.

Would I rather find things that I can keep vs. those that I return? Well, I enjoy finding both types. If I had to return everything that I found I don't think that I would be doing this, it would lose much of it's attraction. I enjoy the satisfaction of finding something cool and valuable that I can keep, I also enjoy the satisfaction of seeing someones smile when a lost item is returned, like you described above.


JMHO

Rich - -
 
To each their own! If your conscience doesn't bother you, I certainly won't. I, personally, couldn't live with myself if I kept something that I knew I could return. especially something as sentimental as a wedding ring or class ring, even though some folks don't even bother with a thank you. It burns a bit when that happens, but I just remind myself that I did the right thing and the selfish kid who got his class ring back in the mail and didn't bother to thank me, is the one who has a problem, not me. What goes around, comes around, believe it, it's true! :beers:
 
Critterhunter,good deed done.Under the circumstances I would have done the same.The last class ring I found no Thanks and the people were rude.At this point if I find a nice gold ring considering the gold prices and my effort it will go in my stash for cash.
 
Critterhunter, Rich, and Plugger, you guys are commended for doing the right thing by returning items you find if possible. Six Gold stars for you three. GH, Don
 
Interesting phenomenon. I also found a class ring that was lost for 18 yrs. (Mans Large Heavy Gold). Tracked the owner down through old school yearbooks. Owner seemed surprised when I gave it to him then closed the door in my face. I will not go through that again. I'm sure there are lots of others with just the opposite ending to their story. For me it didn't work.
Thanks,
Cal
 
I was down in Florida a few months ago. I was at Desoto beach and when I arrived with my Excalibur II 1000 detector and got in the water, a guy came up to me and asked if that thing really works. I said I sure hope so!

He told me that he and his family have been in the water for almost 4 hours looking for his wedding ring. They were diving down and feeling around with their feet but to no avail.

I told him that if it is there, I will find it. He gave me the general area where he thought it was and I went to work. Within 10 minutes, I had his ring. His wife and kids all cheered and they offered me a reward. I told them I did not want a reward and that if anyone else they know or meet needs help, help them.

I got a great big hug from his wife and a big cheer from everyone at the beach. It was a great day even though I was skunked the rest of the day. I did find a nice mens 18K ring the next day and I got over $400 for it. If that ring had any name or ID on it it would have gone back to the owner.
 
Finderskeeper said:
I was down in Florida a few months ago. I was at Desoto beach and when I arrived with my Excalibur II 1000 detector and got in the water, a guy came up to me and asked if that thing really works. I said I sure hope so!

He told me that he and his family have been in the water for almost 4 hours looking for his wedding ring. They were diving down and feeling around with their feet but to no avail.

I told him that if it is there, I will find it. He gave me the general area where he thought it was and I went to work. Within 10 minutes, I had his ring. His wife and kids all cheered and they offered me a reward. I told them I did not want a reward and that if anyone else they know or meet needs help, help them.

I got a great big hug from his wife and a big cheer from everyone at the beach. It was a great day even though I was skunked the rest of the day. I did find a nice mens 18K ring the next day and I got over $400 for it. If that ring had any name or ID on it it would have gone back to the owner.
Click to expand...


What a great story Finderskeepers!

And what a wonderful response from the family!

Sometimes, I really don't think that people know how to respond properly when somebody does something nice for them. I think our society has hardened us a bit and we become suspicious of those around us wanting to take advantage in one way or another. I feel bad for those folks who have had something returned and responded poorly and for the person doing the returning as well. It does give one a feeling 'why did I bother to do that'.

I would hope that if that does happen to us, that we cinch up the belt, put a smile on our face and vow to continue to do the right thing and hopefully we can follow a less than stellar experience with one like that above where everybody is excited over the find.

Thanks Finderskeepers for sharing that. :thumbup:

Rich -
 
oh plugger you are right on the money my friend, returned a class ring last wednesday, drove fifty miles to do it, a 2010 14k giant,,,,knocked on the door, not even a thank you, not even anything close to a thank you,,,it was more like, hey we are busy now, you've gave back the ring, now go,,,,,,,i thought what a bunch of jerks, but as i was driving away,,,,at least i feel good about it.
 
I try to return the ones I can and find the reaction to many of them priceless that will stay with me forever. I tell them they owe me nothing as I just want to get them back to the person that owns them.
One i remember well was a diamond ring set that a lady lost her husband bought for their 25th anniversary and had many looking for it and was told I was good with my detector so she stopped in to see me at my house. My wife and myself said sure will try to find it as she knew the area she lost it as she was picking rhubarb and threw the leaves in a drainage ditch so we figured it should be easy. We took our kids with us too so we didn't have to get a babysitter. We got there and she showed us the area which was not good as the weeds were a good 3 feet high and found out it also was where they threw lot of cans and other trash. I figured it would be hopeless as there were signals everywhere and we had to bend down to see what it was as we couldn't see what it was. Well after about 15 minutes of moving cans I bent down to move one and seen the ring about 6 inches away. I picked it up and shouted is this what you are looking for. She was about 25 feet away and came running over screaming and I thought she was going to tackle me as she was coming fast. She was crying she was so happy and was hugging and kissing me while thanking me over and over again. She gave me $5 she had on her and ask me how much more I wanted and told her that her expression when I found it was priceless and was more then enough for me and ask to detect her yard while we were there, Got a walker and several mercs and even a older pocket watch case that was gold plated. While we did this they took my son and daughter in the house and feed them ice cream and her husband gave them rides on is lawn tractor pulling a cart.Something we will never forget as about 2 years later her husband passed on and she also did a few years later.

Returned a 1943 he had only a week before he lost it and laid in a ball field until I found it and was able to return it to the guy which now was 76 I believe. He saved for the ring and didn't have enough for it so his mother used her egg money so he could get it and lost it a week later, but never told her he had lost it. When she ask why he wasn't wearing it he would say it was in his room in a safe place. He said he didn't get his daughters any because he said it was too easy to lose and got them some neckless with a year charm on them. He said this ring was going to go to his grand daughter when he passed on. I heard a year ago that he has passed on too, but was a great feeling to be able to get his ring back to him before he did.
Found and returned several more over the years, but 2 I didn't one was a 1925 and the other was a college ring for 1972 that was big and beautiful design and before I was able to find the person I sold it for gold value in the early 80s when the price was high as i was laid up with hepatitis and needed the money as I took it to be weighed and was offered $100 for the gold. This one has haunted me as i should have kept it and tried to returned it first.
I have some great memories of returning them and hope to find more to return as i like the feeling of giving back something many never thought they would see again.

Rick
 
Yes & No
I will return a ring that I have been specifically asked to search for otherwise NO
Case in point.
2 years ago I found a class ring, contacted the school and was treated like a pedophile even though I explained that my wife had been a teacher in the system and gave a phone # for them to call-Nothing
Wait it gets better:
Last month I was detecting at the same beach where I found the above ring (in the water) when I encountered 2 young woman. One asked me if I had found her ring and laughed. I said when and she said 2 years ago and named the school. When I asked her first name and she told me I instantly remembered the hassle I had gone through and told her what her last name initial was. Well she was dumbstruck when I was correct. I told her to go get a pen & paper and I gave her my name and phone # . She said she would call to set up a place & time to get the ring. I said to call early as I go to bed early and she said she would call at or b 4 7PM. She calls at 9:30 and said she had forgotten. I found out she lived about a 10 minute ride from the beach where I am an hour away. I told her I would be at the beach Saturday from 8-12noon and would have the ring. This was Thursday night.
Saturday AM I call at 8AM and leave a voice mail to confirm the meet.
Saturday comes and goes and no word from her SO ring goes to refinery with all the others
I have been detecting for almost 50 years and I have come to this conclusion: if you are stupid enough to wear ANY jewelry in the water you deserve to lose it and it is not my obligation to go out of my way to return it to you & I won't .02
 
Yes I do return rings but Im careful about doing so. Ive had plenty of people come up to me on the beach asking if Ive found a ring or necklace that morning and I will only return it if the description is extremely accurate. theres a lot of scammers out there.
some of my best returns/finds have been when people will ask me to look for something and I find it. I can remember an elderly lady who had lost a simple silver ring her grandkids had given her, she asked me to look for her at this spot she was at, I did and found it and she about hugged me in half she was so happy. that right there is worth more than any find I could ever make.
Neil
 
Occasionally, but I'm not running a recovery service, unless they pay my fee($100 per hour).
Here are a couple of lucky losers and we made the paper once too, LOL!
[attachment 164203 PoncaCitynewsarticle.jpg]
[attachment 164204 HuntersPoncaCityRing.jpg]
[attachment 164205 PoncaCityHSGONEHOME.JPG]

Here is Gulf Huntress with a girl she sought after for quite some time.
[attachment 164201 BetsyandCipriana.JPG]


[attachment 164206 SplendoraHSGONEHOME.JPG]
I mailed this one back to the victim, for $20 shipping.

We will not ship back for less than $20, by the time you package, insure, our time, etc. We feel like that is reasonable. It is kinda fun to make someone smile.

I gave this one back to a classmate of the loser. According to the classmate, the loser was incarcerated.
[attachment 164208 Hitchcock.JPG]

Gulf Huntress recovered a 10K gold class ring one time and located the loser the same day. She told him where it was recovered and offered to return it, for $20 and the guy never sent the $. After several attempts to acquire the shipping funds, she scrapped it. Pic was too large, so not included.
 
Reading responses later, but wanted to mention the "gratitude" people can show for making any kind of effort to return something to them. One time I was detecting along a road and found a magnetic business sign for the side of a vehicle. I know how expensive these can be having used them in my own business, so I looked up the business name and went to the address. Knocked on the door at the house and a woman answered. Told her I found their sign along a road and she just grabbed it and shut the door. No "thank you" at all, and she wasn't scared but acted like I was bothering her right in the middle of her favorite soap opera.
 
Last Thursday (06/03 on Hilton Head Island) I helped a young man in distress looking for his new wife's platinum and diamonds ring. I found in it within 15 minutes. No offer of a reward...but I felt a 7-10 thousand dollar recovery deserved at least a hint of one. I would have said no to the reward and walked away feeling great. Instead, I came away feeling that the family members who were there had little or no class.
 
I have a wedding band set by for the owner, she asked me last year in may if i had found a ring that she lost about a month earlier and gave me the name and date inscribed on the inside, that day i didn't have my phone with me as it was flat and i put it on charge and forget to pick it up on leaving, she went on about even though it had been replaced how much the original meant to her , i gave her my cel n
 
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