🥇 BANNER Is this 17g gold ring Freemasons or something else?

[TheLittleMan]

So I haven't posted in a while, but this one rang up on my Equinox 600, and I was pretty stoked. 18k gold ring, 17g.

I need some info on this, because I'm getting mixed reviews. Some say the motto "In Hoc Signo Vinces" makes it definitely Templar Masons, others say the scimitar makes it Shriners, still others look at the Maltese cross and say fireman! I'm sticking with Masons till I hear otherwise (there's a carving of a trowel on one side), but I need the thoughts of experts. If you need more pics, I'm sure I can do that.

I was hesitant to post this, because there is a name and location carved inside, and I'd like to help the homeowner get it back to its rightful place. This location in Minnesota goes back to the late 1800s.

 

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[TheLittleMan]

Update:
1) Got another piece of Masonic history on the fella who owned this ring in the 1880s. He was a member of the Cyrene Commandry No. 2. Still don't have a timeline for when he joined but know that he remitted his membership in 1891.
2) I'm also about 90% sure that his daughters had no children that survived infancy, meaning no direct descendants. His presence on genealogy lists is only as a sibling/uncle in family trees. I could be totally wrong, however. Still looking.

 

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[cannedpoo]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_hoc_signo_vinces

Maybe just christian...?

 

[TheLittleMan]

UPDATE: Well I've officially handed off the ring to the home-owner. Unsure what he'll be doing with it, but at least I got a promise that he definitely will NOT be melting it. It may sit on his own mantel, or the connection with the Lodge might be a route he takes, giving it to them on loan for display or something. I just hope it doesn't sit in a dark corner collecting dust, cuz that's not much better than sitting in a hole in the ground!

Incidentally, this ring sparked a surge for me. I found 5 rings within 8 days of unearthing this gold piece (including Tungsten and silver), not to mention some silver coins and a couple Indian Heads today. The gold fever hasn't left me!

 

[Gare]

TheLittleMan I am sure proud of you for givin g that ring back.When i give one back it gives me a GT+REAT FEELING that i have done the right thing. How did you feel when giving it back ? Did you have someone take pictures of the owner when you gave it back ?

 

[TheLittleMan]

TheLittleMan I am sure proud of you for givin g that ring back.When i give one back it gives me a GT+REAT FEELING that i have done the right thing. How did you feel when giving it back ? Did you have someone take pictures of the owner when you gave it back ?

I didn't get any pictures of the hand-off, but man, I sort of feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders! Granted, I'd love to have loaned it to the lodge myself, but it ain't mine. I can totally empathize with the home-owner's desire to keep it, so it's a "do unto others as you'd have 'em do unto you" sort of thing....like everything else in life :-) Gives new meaning to "the Golden rule" I guess!

 

[Gare]

LittleMan you did good proud of you./ Next one take pictures of the owners getting them back you will love them

 

[CRUSADER]

UPDATE: Well I've officially handed off the ring to the home-owner. Unsure what he'll be doing with it, but at least I got a promise that he definitely will NOT be melting it. It may sit on his own mantel, or the connection with the Lodge might be a route he takes, giving it to them on loan for display or something. I just hope it doesn't sit in a dark corner collecting dust, cuz that's not much better than sitting in a hole in the ground!

Incidentally, this ring sparked a surge for me. I found 5 rings within 8 days of unearthing this gold piece (including Tungsten and silver), not to mention some silver coins and a couple Indian Heads today. The gold fever hasn't left me!

 

[jorge del norte]

Permission spots are cool, but sharing a find or giving it away....is gut wrenching....unless they were helping you dig, and as sweat invested as much as you were.
It's kind of the nature of that type of hunt, good job on finding a great old gold...

 

[Swamp Fox]

nice ring recovery

 

[billb]

Very Nice Voting Banner

 

[Lenrac2]

Way to go Little man! I'm glad the good karma is shining on you!

 

[TheLittleMan]

Update:
After handing the ring off to the homeowner, he was showing it to some friends and the top popped off revealing an empty space (still empty) beneath the headstamp. That may have been just a natural part of ring-making in the 1880s (I'd love to know!), but throughout my cleaning of it, I never once thought that it could separate into 2 pieces. It makes me wonder if it wasn't designed to hold something special (and especially tiny). Sadly I do not have a picture with it open, but here's a picture of the headstamp so you can know what I'm talking about.

 

[pepperj]

Update:
After handing the ring off to the homeowner, he was showing it to some friends and the top popped off revealing an empty space (still empty) beneath the headstamp. That may have been just a natural part of ring-making in the 1880s (I'd love to know!), but throughout my cleaning of it, I never once thought that it could separate into 2 pieces. It makes me wonder if it wasn't designed to hold something special (and especially tiny). Sadly I do not have a picture with it open, but here's a picture of the headstamp so you can know what I'm talking about.

It would be great to see it open. To see how much of a cavity there is actually.
Makes me think that it might of been a poison ring.

 

[Blackfoot58]

To clear up any confusion about fraternities. Shriners are a branch of freemasonry. They are the philanthropic branch there of. Masonry has many off-shoots: rainbow girls, DeMolay, Scottish Rite (Consistory ), York Rite (Commandry), Order of the Eastern Star and many others. Each branch has its own symbols and history. A piece of jewelry may have symbols from more than one branch. The scimitar with the star is a symbol of The Shrine, but sub-groups use it as well. Very interesting to anyone who appreciates history, ancient wisdom, allegorical stories, etc.

 

[Florida Finder]

So I haven't posted in a while, but this one rang up on my Equinox 600, and I was pretty stoked. 18k gold ring, 17g.

I need some info on this, because I'm getting mixed reviews. Some say the motto "In Hoc Signo Vinces" makes it definitely Templar Masons, others say the scimitar makes it Shriners, still others look at the Maltese cross and say fireman! I'm sticking with Masons till I hear otherwise (there's a carving of a trowel on one side), but I need the thoughts of experts. If you need more pics, I'm sure I can do that.

I was hesitant to post this, because there is a name and location carved inside, and I'd like to help the homeowner get it back to its rightful place. This location in Minnesota goes back to the late 1800s.
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That’s a real winner! Congratulations

 

[JohnnyMac]

So I haven't posted in a while, but this one rang up on my Equinox 600, and I was pretty stoked. 18k gold ring, 17g.

I need some info on this, because I'm getting mixed reviews. Some say the motto "In Hoc Signo Vinces" makes it definitely Templar Masons, others say the scimitar makes it Shriners, still others look at the Maltese cross and say fireman! I'm sticking with Masons till I hear otherwise (there's a carving of a trowel on one side), but I need the thoughts of experts. If you need more pics, I'm sure I can do that.

I was hesitant to post this, because there is a name and location carved inside, and I'd like to help the homeowner get it back to its rightful place. This location in Minnesota goes back to the late 1800s.
View attachment 2027917 View attachment 2027913 View attachment 2027914 View attachment 2027916 View attachment 2027915

Great find and congrats!! Definitly banner worthy!!

 

[Oldrvrrat57]

UPDATE: Through Ancestry.com, I found a gentleman with the name inside the ring (1854-1924) who moved to a town nearby in 1870 and whose father died in the town where I found the ring in 1899. He promptly moved to Oregon in 1900, while siblings remained in the area. I'm thinking this is a late 1800s ring, early 1900s at the latest.

My apologies if there's a better way to share this update. I'm always willing to learn. Thanks @GoDeep @Digger RJ @Aureus @lenmac65 for the banner votes :-)

Only in my dreams do I find something this awesome! Way to go my friend 👏

 

[Gare]

Nice find Thanks for sharing with us !!

 

[Sam Reder]

Update:
After handing the ring off to the homeowner, he was showing it to some friends and the top popped off revealing an empty space (still empty) beneath the headstamp. That may have been just a natural part of ring-making in the 1880s (I'd love to know!), but throughout my cleaning of it, I never once thought that it could separate into 2 pieces. It makes me wonder if it wasn't designed to hold something special (and especially tiny). Sadly I do not have a picture with it open, but here's a picture of the headstamp so you can know what I'm talking about.

This is new to me. Most lodges do not offer rings to their members so Masons wear rings willingly having to look for a specialist to manufacture them. The ring can follow a pattern of symbologies but in general each one is unique. This Masonic ring is the first one with a secret compartment I've ever seen.

 

[Blackfoot58]

This is new to me. Most lodges do not offer rings to their members so Masons wear rings willingly having to look for a specialist to manufacture them. The ring can follow a pattern of symbologies but in general each one is unique. This Masonic ring is the first one with a secret compartment I've ever seen.

Masonic rings vary as much as any piece of jewelry. Many Masons order from catalogs. There are established design choices that they can choose from. Basically a stock ring and you pick the stone type/color. But, you can custom design an entire ring to anything you want. I have several that came to me from family members. These were all, basic “pick it out at the Jeweler’s” and have it sized to fit. It all comes down to how much you want to spend.