Found a 1953 class ring today ~ 10K!

[oddcoins]

This is the second class ring I found in just the last few days! on Wednesday I found a 10K 1965 class ring from EQUITY AMERICAN SCHOOL in Guatemala. Now today, only about ten feet away from where I found that class ring I found a 10K 1953 class ring ~ NO JOKE!! Unfortunately the school shield/insignia is missing! There's the initials S J M engraved inside the band ~ and H J 10K. Anyone know how to find the jeweler that made this ring?

In this same strip of grass I found 66 cents (12 are wheats, 1938 to 1956), 9 clad dimes, three nickels, one clad quarter, and a cool looking spoon marked STERLING ~ MAX MEYER & BRO. ~ there's a letter engraved on the handle, but I can't tell what the letter is! I'll post a pic ~ can anyone tell what this letter is?! But I didn't find any silver coins! I was detecting with a couple buddies and they each found a war nickel and some other interesting treasures ~ hopefully they will post pic's here on treasurenet.com too!

 

[oddcoins]

The spoon wasn't very deap ~ maybe three inches ~ but nothing in this yard was deap ~ wheat cents at 2 or 3 inches ~ the yard had no sod ~ very easy digging ~ left no scars!

 

[TxTim]

Great Job!!!!

 

[DANGLANGLEY]

You are on a roll. Congrats on the ring!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tin Nugget]

HJ could be Herf Jones Co. They have been making class rings for may many years.
They made mine. TC Williams."remember the titans" 1973

 

[oddcoins]

I contacted Herff Jones, and they seem to want to help me try finding the owner of this 1953 class ring ~ but not knowing the school info is gonna make it kinda hard ~ all we have to work with is the initials engraved in the band, the ring's maker, and the year 1953.

I contacted Balfour Co. regarding the 1965 class ring I found, but they seem to not be interested in helping at all! The lady I talked to was un-interested and kinda rude.

 

[Natman]

I had an idea..start with the closest high school to where the ring was found. There's got to be some way of locating a 1953 high school yearbook from that particular school. If you can get hold of one, look through it for anyone who matches the initials (yearbooks include first, middle and last names of graduates). If no leads, try the next closest high school and so on. I'm assuming the ring is a high school ring, but I'm sure if you can get the manufacturer to cooperate they could tell you if that style is a high school one.

Since most schools or school districts have their own web site, maybe you could get hold of someone interested in helping you and email them a photo of the ring. Whatever you do don't send it to them, even if they ask..you may never see it again!

Hope this helps, these ideas may seem like the long way around but if you're persistent enough to find the owner,you'll probably want to try every option available. Good luck!
Nat

 

[oddcoins]

I heard back from Herff Jones ~ unfortunately their records don't go back to 1953.

But I think I'll take Nat's advice and start looking into local high schools ~ it's worth a shot. The only concern I have is that the nearest school is actually the University of Oregon ~ if it belonged to a University student they could have gone to high school anywhere!

 

[Colonial Copper Zeus]

great find....I once found a local 1928 highschool class ring and with alittle research found the owner who was still alive and well into her eighties. that was something special all right. she was in an old age home in jersey. her grandson was the vice pres. of the south jersey metal detecting club and wrote an article in their newsletter. i received a letter from the ring owner thanking me and relating the story of the ring. she only owned it for a week before she lost it in the woods having a picnic with her highschool friends. she told me that she cried for a week after losing this ring and that she cried for a week when she was reunited with it.this is what makes our hobbie worth everything that we put into it.....Silver Zeus

 

[sfinder]

Cool ring. Hopefully you can find the owner.

 

[wolfmanjoe3]

It might be a long shot, but suggest you post it as a found ring on http://www.classringfinder.com. There are 7 lost rings posted there from 1953, but none have the S J M initials.

 

[oddcoins]

This ring on on it's way home! See separate post for details!