I found a wallet in 2006......returned it to the owner.

Moonshadow

Silver Member
Sep 25, 2004
3,257
128
Aiken, SC
Detector(s) used
Ace 250
I had forgotten about this wallet I had found in October. I was leaving a furniture store and pulled out onto the 4 lane street when I spotted something in the suicide lane that caught my eye. I turned around to drive by again and sure enough it was a leather card holder. I pulled over and had to go into the street to retrieve it. I picked up the card holder and looked about 5 feet away and there was the wallet! The credit card/picture holder had popped out when it hit the ground. I was doubly surprised then! :o

I threw it into the front seat and took it home. When I got here, I opened it up to see if there was ID and there was. Along with pictures of his family and credit cards and 48.00 in cash. I immediately looked at the address on the ID and it was not too far from my apartment. I jumped right back into the car and drove over there. I knocked on the door, but no answer. I left a note and told them that I had found a wallet with their address, please call me. I waited 3 days and still didn't hear anything, so I went back over there. The note I left was gone, but still no answer. Even went across the street to a neighbors house to see if they knew them and they weren't home either! I got frustrated. I looked in the phone book, but the guy was not listed. Only three people had his last name, so I started calling them to see if they were relatives. This one gentleman I talked to knew the guy, but wasn't a relative. He knew enough info about him though that I could further my investigation. I finally called the other phone number and sure enough, it was the guys wife. The phone was in her name.

She was absolutely thrilled that I found the wallet. I told her that I had been trying to reach them at home and she said that they had moved recently. I wanted to save them the trouble of canceling credit cards and SS and bank acct. stuff. She said he did it that night! She gave me their new address and I said I'd be right there. I found the house with no problem and it was so cool to be able to return it to her. She told me that hubby had loaded the baby in the car seat and put his wallet on the roof. It rode quite a distance before falling off. I must have found it right after he lost it. She thanked me and I was more than happy about it.

A week later I got the nicest card in the mail (she must have found my address in the phone book and she got my phone number off of her caller ID). They sent me a $25.00 Chili's gift card. That tickled me to death! I wasn't expecting anything, so it was a very nice surprise.

I didn't take pictures of the wallet....but here's the card.

And that was my best find of 2006......Thanks for reading and Happy Hunting!

Moon
 

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Libralabsoldier

Hero Member
Jan 7, 2007
666
23
Baker,LA
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 150
I had almost the same thing happen. I found an old skool fanny pack laying in the middle of the turn lane. Turned out to belong to a major that worked at the same hospital as I did.

She went out of her way to embarrass the bejeezus out of me, got me a military award, and gave me fifty bucks in gift cards. I just wanted to show my kids how to do the right thing.
 

LJ

Silver Member
Dec 23, 2006
3,469
17
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Great story girl. I know that did the heart some good right?? Alot of people probably would not have done what you did. The thugs would have taken the cash and who knows with the credit cards. TN does have some great folks in here....congrats.

LeJeuene
 

RON (PA)

Silver Member
Sep 9, 2004
2,847
61
Pittsburgh, Pa
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre & Tiger Shark
Great job Moon. You have done a super job in tracking down the owner and returning the wallet.
 

OP
OP
Moonshadow

Moonshadow

Silver Member
Sep 25, 2004
3,257
128
Aiken, SC
Detector(s) used
Ace 250
Thanks ;) It was fun and frustrating at the same time, but ultimately turned out very well and I took my son to dinner @ Chili's!

HH,
Moon
 

TheSleeper

Hero Member
Nov 25, 2006
686
269
Virginia
Detector(s) used
Minelab SE/Excal
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Way to Go C.... u gave them back there peace of mind, knowing there cards were safe.
 

Natman

Bronze Member
Jan 8, 2007
2,487
461
Hazelwood, MO
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
White's Prizm II, White's Coinmaster
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hey Moon, way to go! When something like that is returned, all the trouble you go through to bring it back suddenly seems like no trouble at all.

The same thing happened to me before Thanksgiving..I was walking back from a local park and found a wallet at the end of a driveway near the street. It was full of ID's - driver license, college ID, bank card, social security, etc. It also had a few dollars in it. Luckily, inside the wallet was a scrap of paper that said "Mom's cell phone ###-####." I called the number several times, but never got a reply from her voice mail. I checked the internet, phone book etc. and they all ran into dead ends. We thought it best to just mail the wallet to the address on the guy's cards, but it was returned because the guy had moved.

Weeks later, I tried the number again by leaving a message and my number to his mom as I did before. She FINALLY called and told me she gave her son my number, but she either gave him the wrong number or he copied it wrong. Anyway she gave me his address, and it turned out he lives at the house next to where I found it. The other address stumped me, so I had no clue that he lived there. His mom offered me a reward and I turned it down, telling her I'd want someone to do the same thing for me if I ever lost mine. She gave me her son's number, I called him and met him outside his house to give his wallet back. The whole thing was a little bit of an ordeal, but worth it in the end.

I also found a wallet while detecting at a school about 10 years ago..it was right under a swing. It belonged to a teenager who lived not far from the school so I was able to return that as well.

Now if I ever find loose bills blowing around while MD'ing, that another story!

I'd love to find a ring that is inscribed with a name and return it..one such ring I read about was returned to its owner after 30 years of being lost.

Nat
 

D

dugupfinds

Guest
Well done.
I have handed in several wallets including:
A massive Police wallet with loads of stuff including pre-signed parking tickets & phone charge card. Police never thanked me or took my name.
A ladys bag full of money, a mobile phone & weed, she was pleased I didn't hand it to the police :) Never gave me a penny.

I don't do it for the reward. However, I know I would reward those people if I were stupid enough to lose anything & get it back :)
 

Boobydoo

Gold Member
Apr 24, 2006
6,338
28
Michigan
Congrats Moonshadow, you did the right thing!
I hope the good karma comes around to reward you! Well done!

Smiles!
BDoo
 

OP
OP
Moonshadow

Moonshadow

Silver Member
Sep 25, 2004
3,257
128
Aiken, SC
Detector(s) used
Ace 250
Thanks everyone......It would be nice to have some Karma come my way ;).....and soon.

HH,
Moon
 

Delaware_Gopher

Jr. Member
Dec 29, 2006
29
0
New Castle, Delaware
Detector(s) used
White's Prizm V & Matrix M6
I lost a wallet while vacationing in Panama City Beach, Fl back in 1986. When I got home there was a package for me in the mail which contained the wallet....less cash. However, I was happy to see my driver's license and credit cards still there. No return address.

Best,
Brian
 

1liquigirl

Sr. Member
Jun 13, 2005
393
13
Bellefonte, PA
Great going ;) :D And when all else fails, try to publish a newspaper ad in the lost and found section. But the research, that's the fun in it, and the smile and thank you, that's the reward.
 

OP
OP
Moonshadow

Moonshadow

Silver Member
Sep 25, 2004
3,257
128
Aiken, SC
Detector(s) used
Ace 250
bpasternak said:
I lost a wallet while vacationing in Panama City Beach, Fl back in 1986. When I got home there was a package for me in the mail which contained the wallet....less cash.


Thanks for sharing your story......too bad about the cash!
 

OP
OP
Moonshadow

Moonshadow

Silver Member
Sep 25, 2004
3,257
128
Aiken, SC
Detector(s) used
Ace 250
1liquigirl said:
Great going ;) :D And when all else fails, try to publish a newspaper ad in the lost and found section. But the research, that's the fun in it, and the smile and thank you, that's the reward.

That would have been my next step. It was fun tracking them done though. :D
 

RED THUNDER

Sr. Member
Dec 23, 2006
308
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett GTI 2500
Very comendable~ ;) Actions like that is what gives us MDers a good name.

Red Thunder
 

M

Mr. Steve from Mich.

Guest
8)Ya did the right thing;returning that wallet to the owner...Congrats!!
 

mountainplayer

Hero Member
Oct 10, 2006
611
22
Way Northern California
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 & Minelab EX2
I found a wallet when I was working as a box-boy in 1985. I was sixteen years old and making 3.50/hour. I was in the parking lot collecting grocery carts and the wallet was in the bottom of one of them. This one was a woman's style wallet with a brass clasp.

I opened it and there was a bit over $600 inside (more than I made in a month working full-time...before taxes!). I looked at the drivers license and the lady was from Southern Cal. I figured that she was probably on vacation and really bummed that she'd lost her vacation money. I went to my managers office, reported it and gave him the wallet. Less than an hour later I was sweeping the floor in front of the office's service window when I hear a lady ask if anyone had found a wallet. She described it exactly and my manager handed it to her and said "The young man who found it and turned it in is right there".

She turned around, looked at me, and walked away without even a thank you!

I think about that experience every once in a while when I'm MD'ing. I figure that I've got some good Karma coming my way, and that my gold coin is just a matter of time!

MP
 

bja3908

Full Member
Aug 19, 2006
115
9
galveston tx
I lost my wallet one friday at the bank or when I stoped to get gas. It was several hours later before I know it was missing. I got in the car and went everywhere I might have lost it with no luck. By Sat. I know I must cacel the cc get a new D L and write off the 40 or so dollars in it. Sunday when I went to get the paper my wallet was in the mail box money and all. I still do not know who returned it but they had go way out of their way as I live about 20 miles from the center of town. to who ever Thanks
 

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