Found jewelry - return or keep - what do you do?

[BVI Hunter]

Chatting to a few friends about the rings and jewelry they find, mostly on beaches etc and the opinions varied dramatically from one to another;

One said he returns EVERY ring he finds - advertising locally if he has to.
Another said he only returns stuff he has been asked to find, all others he keeps.
One said he only returns wedding bands - good karma he said!

Just wondered what all you beach hunters thought, and if you have any issues or moral dilemmas in keeping / trying to return finds etc?

 

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[dholland02]

My opinion on this I'm sure with cause an up roar. If someone ask me to find it I'll help them, but other than that everything is mine. I didn't buy my detector to start a search and recovery business, Im not about to send all my free time trying to find someone who lost a ring. It's losers wheepers finders keepers IMO.

 

[SusanMN]

I have returned a few, with mixed results. A couple of extraordinarily thankful people, a returned class ring lost for 40 years where the owner acted like I had pulled it off her finger, and last year the kicker, a gal I made contact with after she posted a ring I found as lost who "was coming right over" to pick it but just couldn't get around to it. After multiple phone calls and as many excuses plus spending two days waiting for her, I tossed her phone number and still have the ring. I posted that ring on Tnet last year, its a beauty, but apparently she didn't give a rip about it.

So now, I am not inclined to put a lot of effort into doing a return. If they came up to me and I had it, of course, but otherwise, I am not sure.

 

[BVI Hunter]

My opinion on this I'm sure with cause an up roar. If someone ask me to find it I'll help them, but other than that everything is mine. I didn't buy my detector to start a search and recovery business, Im not about to send all my free time trying to find someone who lost a ring. It's losers wheepers finders keepers IMO.

Not sure that will cause an uproar! Think that could be a common attitude (one I agree with!)

 

[BVI Hunter]

I have returned a few, with mixed results. A couple of extraordinarily thankful people, a returned class ring lost for 40 years where the owner acted like I had pulled it off her finger, and last year the kicker, a gal I made contact with after she posted a ring I found as lost who "was coming right over" to pick it but just couldn't get around to it. After multiple phone calls and as many excuses plus spending two days waiting for her, I tossed her phone number and still have the ring. I posted that ring on Tnet last year, its a beauty, but apparently she didn't give a rip about it.

So now, I am not inclined to put a lot of effort into doing a return. If they came up to me and I had it, of course, but otherwise, I am not sure.

I agree - I was asked to find a 'very expensive' ring on a beach, and I said the best time will be at sunrise next day (due to tide) - so there I was.... found it in 20 mins and waited an HOUR for the guy to finish breakfast before he could walk the 50yds to the beach to get it Oh, and thanks for the 20 buck tip - NOT!

I am happy to help but its more motivational to look up and see the person out on the beach with you, really hoping you find it etc.

 

[Argentium]

My opinion (though I've never been a beach hunter ) is simple - If there is enough information on the item to possibly return it
I will do everything in my power to return it , including contacting the alumni association when a class ring is found -
( this assumes that there are some initials and a date on it as well ).

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

For all of you who say "I keep all jewelry , unless it's a commissioned hunt" (or a class ring traceable ), : Just be aware that you're breaking the law. Every state has lost and found laws. The threshold where you're supposed to turn stuff in to the police, is usually around $100. These laws date to the 1800's wandering cattle type things .

ok, do you hear the stampede of footsteps, as all the guilt ridden md'rs begin rushing off to police stations ??

 

[doc-d]

Seems if those who lost it are not concerned enough to make the effort to recover it, it is abandoned and free game….as for the laws…if you choose to rush off to a police station, good for you…..I have better things to do with my time.

 

[dholland02]

For all of you who say "I keep all jewelry , unless it's a commissioned hunt" (or a class ring traceable ), : Just be aware that you're breaking the law. Every state has lost and found laws. The threshold where you're supposed to turn stuff in to the police, is usually around $100. These laws date to the 1800's wandering cattle type things .

ok, do you hear the stampede of footsteps, as all the guilt ridden md'rs begin rushing off to police stations ??

Yea I'm not losing no sleep over keeping what I find. Its no body's business what I find. If u turn it in good for u but I'm not going to do that. But I guess everyone who finds a civil war buckel better turn that in bc someone lost it and its value is over $100 for the most part. Lol

 

[myfantasia1]

I keep all that I find. Though I have yet to find anything that would be able to trace back to someone. If that happens I would have to see.

 

[Jason in Enid]

It's impossible to return every ring! It's not even probable. If there is no identifying names inside, there is no chance. If your friend is just giving rings to whomever responds to the ads, he needs to have his head examined!

Class rings are sometimes returnable if they have the school, the persons name, and the year. Everything else is a keeper. Look at the international makeup of the people on your beaches. Do you really believe that the vast majority of jewelry lost is returnable?

 

[Lady Pirate]

I don't go metal detecting to return what others lose. Maybe I might one day..... but one should not count on it. Greedy, nope....I just feel that if you go to a beach or swimming area wearing jewelry and sun oil, then heck your chances of losing it are much higher than leaving it at home. I've lost stuff and "oh well" for me.......Same with finding money, relics, or anything. If I am asked to specifically detect and find something, I will always help. But this is me and my thoughts on the subject. I have never felt guilty about keeping anything I have detected and found.

 

[Red James Cash]

Heres the deal....cheap junk = return it,prec. metals,gemstones,etc = keep.Problem solved,everybodies happy... except for the idiot that wore a 5000 dollar ring to the beach and lost it

 

[Peyton Manning]

if I found something of obvious sentimental value and had a way to find the person I would try.

 

[Rodbuster209]

When I go beach or water hunting and find jewelry, I will inconspicuously check to see if someone has reported it lost, ie: like post a flyer or notice somewhere closeby, other than that I consider it mine!

 

[dahut]

If I have a reasonable inkling as to the owner, or an obvious way to find them, I'll do it.
if that's a bust, then I just keep 'em

 

[gleaner1]

Off to the refiner it goes

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

I return all items that can be returned. Usually a hallmark/name or something is required. If an item has been lost for a long time the finders laws change a little.
Lost, mislaid, and abandoned property - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Other than that its a personal call.


Keep @ it and HH !!

 

[BVI Hunter]

I'm with the majority on this. If I found something that was obvious or came up posted, I would make sure the owner got it. I couldn't walk past a lost poster knowing I had the Item, It would bug me too much, whatever the value was. Other than that, It's finders keepers. I guess it would depend on the situation. I haven't found anything that I would have to worry about yet. As far as the $100 or over law........I'll Just never find anything over $99.lol

I think that's probably the best 'middle of the road' solution. I too could not look someone in the eye knowing they had lost it and not say anything!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

It's impossible to return every ring! It's not even probable. If there is no identifying names inside, there is no chance. If your friend is just giving rings to whomever responds to the ads, he needs to have his head examined!

Class rings are sometimes returnable if they have the school, the persons name, and the year. Everything else is a keeper. Look at the international makeup of the people on your beaches. Do you really believe that the vast majority of jewelry lost is returnable?

Jason and everyone else here: I see the common mantra is: "Finders-keepers. Unless traceable or a commissioned hunt" type answers.

That's fine, but just be aware that if you look up your state's lost & found laws, the laws make NO distinction on what you consider to be traceability (identifying marks on the inside, whether or not someone posted a lost -poster, etc....). It simply says to turn in items to the police. THEY in turn will hold it, for-in-case anyone comes into the department with the proper description of said-item. If no one claims it after 30 days, THEN you get to keep it. And you may have to pay the cost of running any ad they put in a published newspaper, for instance.

And the law gives no distinction for how long YOU think an item has been lost for, nor does it give distinction on how an item is to be valued. Eg.: "intrinsic" (melt) value, versus actual value, or market value, etc.... I asked a lawyer once what to do in cases of examples of how a ring, or I-pod might have a low "melt" value (heck, even a brand new I-phone has less than $1 in "intinsic" recyclable parts in it, right?). The lawyer said that the finder would turn it in to the police, and THEY would decide how to value it , haha

It strikes me as odd that "knowing and following all laws" can be a hot topic when it comes to "where md'rs can metal detect". I mean, there's hunters who believe it is our duty to "ask permission" for whether we can detect at school yards, parks, beaches, etc...... Why? Because we must "follow all laws". Yet when it comes to this lost-property lost-&-found stuff, those same md'rs don't seem to think this is just as equally a law.

Just trying to make trouble here