Thoughts on finding wedding rings

[GrizLeeBear]

I was reading another post tonight about finding a child's ring and how sad it seemed:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/336077-saddest-find-i-ve-ever-made.html

I have found a number of lost wedding and engagement rings over the years and was, on a few occasions, able to find the original owner. But for the most part they were lost by parties unknown. I sold them and the cash was nice. However, it was always a bit sad. Imagine losing something that should be so precious to you. Most of us know how to go and recover something we have lost, but for many it is not an option. Sometimes our finds to carry a note of sadness in the joy of the find.

 

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[cudamark]

I like to find the person who lost the item also but If I don't, I don't lose any sleep over it. If people didn't lose stuff, we wouldn't have much of a hobby!

 

[elijahhenry10]

Next time you find a wedding ring and feel sadness, just try to think that it was a terrible marriage, and that whoever lost the ring really just threw it to get rid of the memories of the marriage after they divorced. Then you can sell the ring and buy yourself something nice.

 

[wainzoid]

I found a wedding band that had initials in it and the date Aug 15 1907. Thats 105 yrs old. If they havent died from natural causes, they would have killed each other by now.

 

[Keppy]

Yes i lost my wedding ring about 5 years ago ... I just went out and bought another one.........The only thing i was sad about... Was putting money out for another one........ Both my wife and myself liked the new one it looked just like the old one......

 

[s.c.shooter]

I found 2 that had personal engraving inside. Posted on criagslist under found but no one claimed them. Figured they had possibly divorced and threw them into the ocean?

 

[Whatacoin]

If there is some evident name, I would put effort into finding them. If not oh well.

 

[peanutman]

I lost my wedding ring throwing a cat net, least I can say is I'm divorced now, turns out that when you throw a 2000 dollar ring into the lake fishing when you are supposed to be going to a lunch party with the inlaws its a bad thing. oh well I got a new motorcycle and metal detector.

 

[dholland02]

Who cares keep it. I bought my detector to benefit me.

 

[cudamark]

I find on average that returning a ring benefits me greater than keeping it.

 

[bonnieb]

My husband actually lost his as he was metal detecting and he had clipped it on his key chain-
He went back n attempted to find it but had covered so much ground he had no idea where it could've come off

Got him a new one for V- day so i told him better find a way for it not to set off detector Bc I swear if he loses this one.....
:-))

 

[wvwildman]

not everything is lost people get mad and throw there rings

 

[bonnieb]

Exactly ha

 

[bamahunter44]

I bet he loves n appreciates the new one so much!!

 

[Keppy]

I find on average that returning a ring benefits me greater than keeping it.

That is what i say... That keeping the ring i found benefits me more than returning it.....

 

[BillW212]

I'm with you GrizLeeBear. One of the posts in that "saddest find" link said it the best:

"Yep, there is an aspect to this hobby that all too often gets forgotten. The circumstances under which the items we find were lost. We are overjoyed to turn up an old silver coin but we never think that maybe, just maybe, it rolled from the fingers of a poor unfortunate soul in our past. A breastplate with a bullet hole, broken necklace, a watch, a pledge to a loved one engraved inside a wedding ring, etc., etc., all things we get excited about now. Yet, there was a life attached to all of them. I think it best we don't lose sight of this."

While there isn't anything in code of ethics that is directly about this, it all fits hand in hand.

That said, I'm a new guy and I haven't found anything at all yet. But I already decided that if I ever found something that would be so precious to somebody like their wedding ring or graduation ring or things of that nature that I would absolutely make an effort to find the person and return it if possible. Its not just about profit - its about doing the right thing.

 

[Keppy]

I'm with you GrizLeeBear. One of the posts in that "saddest find" link said it the best:

"Yep, there is an aspect to this hobby that all too often gets forgotten. The circumstances under which the items we find were lost. We are overjoyed to turn up an old silver coin but we never think that maybe, just maybe, it rolled from the fingers of a poor unfortunate soul in our past. A breastplate with a bullet hole, broken necklace, a watch, a pledge to a loved one engraved inside a wedding ring, etc., etc., all things we get excited about now. Yet, there was a life attached to all of them. I think it best we don't lose sight of this."

While there isn't anything in code of ethics that is directly about this, it all fits hand in hand.

That said, I'm a new guy and I haven't found anything at all yet. But I already decided that if I ever found something that would be so precious to somebody like their wedding ring or graduation ring or things of that nature that I would absolutely make an effort to find the person and return it if possible. Its not just about profit - its about doing the right thing.

........Well i would say that you are in the wrong hobby ....If every time you found something good or nice it would make you sad and up set you .......... It would probably be best for you not to pursue this hobby...... You could end up with a nervous break down...... When i find something nice it does not bother me...........Well when i find something it does make me think......... It makes me think of....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[AC1955]

We were lucky enough to have found 3 wedding bands this past summer. One we were able to return (the people who lost it were frantically looking for it on the beach, so we knew approximately where to search), the other two no identifying marks on them. Will probably sell them eventually.

I agree, kind of sad, but maybe as someone else mentioned, maybe they were "lost" on purpose.

Their loss is our gain.

HH,
Anita

 

[TerryC]

Today, it is a disposable world. If someone looses something, they don't spend enough time looking for it. They just go buy another. I can see where someone would not have time to look for jewelry lost during a vacation. Some of my best finds were at South Beach, near Miami. A young person hang-out. I just don't understand why they would wear their FINEST then not spend time looking for it. TTC

 

[DeepThought]

for me....if an item is of any importance to someone, they will continue to think of it throughout their life. But when that item is lost, memories shift from fondness to sadness. Morally and ethically, every attempt should be made to return an item of value to their owner.