33 Year Old 10 K Gold HS Class Ring Sees the Light of Day

[Wildcat1750]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted any finds but 2015 is starting off nicely for me. While visiting in-laws in upstate New York I got out for an afternoon of hunting with unfrozen soil and snow-free conditions.

Seeking out a park by the river I first searched a small tot lot with easy pickin’s in the wood chips. Mostly small change, recently dropped. Afterwards I moved down the path to an old riverside picnic area with a tall grassy hillside sloping down from an older neighborhood. It was here that I found a small cigarette lighter, part of an old toy aluminum spoon and my first and only wheat cent of the day, a 1926 with plenty of detail. I also dug a shell casing which upon later examination turned out to be a rim fire variety with 4 indentations in the headstamp area. Any info about the rim fire shell casing would be appreciated.

Picking up a strong nickel signal I popped a target less than an inch down with a lot of surface detail and a fair amount of shine to it. It took only a few seconds to discover that I was holding a gold ring with a stone in my hand!

That very same evening, armed with a set of 3 letter initials in the ring and my brother-in-law’s yearbook (he graduated 2 years ahead at the same school) I began seeking the owner. By midnight I had a very promising match on Linkedin and Facebook. I was able to reach out via email the next day giving only the high school and year and town in which I found it. I got an astonished email response within 10 minutes. He was able to correctly describe the ring as being 10 K white gold with a green stone. Because it was more than 30 years ago he doesn’t quite remember how or exactly when he lost it though. He was totally blown away and thought he’d never see that ring again.

We have since exchanged contact information and I will be shipping his ring to him shortly. He no longer lives locally so an in-person return would not be possible. In less than 48 hours the ring will be on its way home to its rightful owner!

Happy New Year!
Nick

[pong12211]

Great finds nice score on the ring. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the success.

[pepperdawg]

Great trip report/story and pics!!!!!!

Great stuff!

[park pirate]

Very nice ring may you can find the owner...

[fongu]

You had an excellent day and great find and return on the class ring. If I can get out next week, I'm going to try and help this
couple find their wedding ring. They lost it about 14 years ago and some other people tried to find it with metal detectors and I want to try and help them if I can. If I'm successful, I will post it. It will be my second return if I can find it and I'm looking forward to it. HH.

[UnderMiner]

Fantastic! Gold, gold, gold! I want!

[Argentium]

What a great story - Thank You for representing us in a good light !!

[coinman123]

Congrats on being able to return the ring to it's rightful owner where it belongs. I bet that the owner will be ecstatic when he sees his lost ring. I like returning items more than finding them, I love being able to reunite the item with the original owner.

Also, The patina on the 1926 wheat penny is beautiful.

Coinman123,

[Wildcat1750]

You had an excellent day and great find and return on the class ring. If I can get out next week, I'm going to try and help this
couple find their wedding ring. They lost it about 14 years ago and some other people tried to find it with metal detectors and I want to try and help them if I can. If I'm successful, I will post it. It will be my second return if I can find it and I'm looking forward to it. HH.

Good Luck with that! I found a 1967 women's HS class ring that I am still trying to track the owner down for the last 25 years without success. I was a lot luckier this time.

Congrats on being able to return the ring to it's rightful owner where it belongs. I bet that the owner will be ecstatic when he sees his lost ring. I like returning items more than finding them, I love being able to reunite the item with the original owner.

Also, The patina on the 1926 wheat penny is beautiful.

Coinman123,

I was really stoked to be able to find him so soon. He offered to pay shipping but I told him that I get more satisfaction from thrill of the hunt and the detective work that follows afterwards. The 1926 Wheat Cent and the rim fire tell me that I should return to that site in the spring time.

Thanks for the fine comments pong12211, pepperdawg, park pirate, UnderMiner (cool avatar), and Argentium.

[Wildcat1750]

*Update*

Just packed up the ring this afternoon and shipped it out to its rightful owner by insured priority mail. He should have it in his hands by Monday.

[dirtlooter]

I was fortunate enough to return one last March that had been lost for 23 years, it is an awesome feeling indeed. congrats on the find and the return.

[Wildcat1750]

I was fortunate enough to return one last March that had been lost for 23 years, it is an awesome feeling indeed. congrats on the find and the return.

Thanks, dirtlooter! Yes, it's an awesome feeling for sure. BTW - I shipped the ring out on Saturday and it should be back in the owner's hands by tomorrow.
Nick

[Professor of Engineering]

Excellent find and ring return!

[Wildcat1750]

IMMHO, The best reward possible...

Received this email yesterday from the owner of the ring:

"Nicholas

I wanted to confirm that I was able to get to the post office today. Thank
you again.
I shared the story to friends today on Facebook and the feedback was
incredible. You
showed so many people that there are incredible kind people in this world!

I hope you have a great day."


Nick