jeff of pa said:it's is illegal if the person who lost it, finds out, and files charges.
Or if the wrong cop finds out, and can prove you really sold it as scrap without
turning it over to them first.
Personally since class rings are the easiest item to trace I would at least try.
only exceptions would be class rings where the
owner & the school are now extinct
Wrong
You need to look up treasure trove laws. After a certain point of time That is considered a nominal length of time The original owner does not find their property that is lost. Or doesn't attempt to look for it Voluntarily gives up ownership to said property.
And quite frankly, I'd be concerned that things you turn in to the cops would always have an owner "found", simply via ... well .... how do I put this .... "corruption". I mean, what's to stop someone there from simply picking up the phone, calling their uncle Fred, and saying: "Hey uncle Fred, do you want a nice Rolex? Come down to the station, and describe a rolex with these features, lost at such & such beach, and presto, you'll have yourself a nice new rolex". Sounds dastardly and evil, but think about it: In the eyes of the cops, it wasn't yours TO BEGIN WITH. You only "found" it. So what have you lost? You turned it in with the full expectation that it might be claimed.