πŸ† HONORABLE MENTION Lost 20 Years Ago ~ 18k Gold Indian Chief Ring Returned To Owner!

MickTwin

Greenie
Apr 18, 2010
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πŸ† Honorable Mentions:
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Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
On May 8th, 2012, I took my week old Minelab E-TRAC to a local park to practice. I had been detecting for over a year with my Teknetics Delta 4000, but while the E-TRAC offered more horsepower, it was also going to take longer to master. After digging plenty of clad and lot's of trash for an hour, it began drizzling. I was about to leave when I hit a constant 10-33 in all directions. I figured it was trash, but just had to know for sure. Haphazardly digging (drizzle was turning to rain) I saw a glint of gold at 3-4 inches. "Bet this is just a crushed gold screw cap," I thought. I pulled it out with a finger and out popped this cool 18k gold man's ring with the face of an Indian Chief! It had diamond eyes, rubies on the temples, and (I found out later weighed in at a hefty 16.7 grams! I started running/happy dancing to my truck thanking God and Minelab!


20120508180948219.jpg 20120508172441631.jpg196.jpg :hello2:

Fast Forward to December 17, 2012:

I was visiting a local auto repair shop. Several months before, I had mentioned to some of the guys working there how much I enjoy metal detecting (my Teknetics Delta 4000 was in the truck) and that from time to time I make some exciting finds. Perhaps the best of those finds was the Indian Chief ring. Although tempted many times to sell the ring, because it was so beautiful and fit my pinky perfectly, I'm glad I never did. It also provided some bragging rights around others who share this great hobby.


When I arrived at the shop, one of the mechanics hollered, "I think I may have found the original owner of that ring!" "You?", I joked. "No!" he replied, and began telling me how he was with a friend, Mando a few weeks before and had mentioned how someone he knew finds cool stuff with his metal detector. Mando asked him if he ever finds rings. "Yep!" "Did he ever find a gold Indian ring?" ..." in #$%^ park?"



The short of the story: I had the mechanic get him on the phone and I introduced myself. Mando answered all my questions perfectly including the very spot in the park where he lost the ring. (I had never told anybody the exact spot I found it). He said his father (now deceased) had had it made custom by a man who lived in our town ages ago. Years later, it was given to Mando.


Because people sometimes sleigh ride in the area where I found it, I had guessed it fell off a cold finger during the winter. Mando said, "Actually, I lost it on a hot summer day while throwing bottles at the bottles he and his friends were tossing in the air." (the crazy stuff you do when you're young - he turns 51 on Dec. 21st). "I spent the rest of that day searching for it and came back the next to search for it again." "I finally gave up and was heartbroken - never thinking I would ever see it again!"


After I arrived at his house, going in, ring in my pocket, I was surprised when Mando showed me the tattoo he had gotten so many years before - just a few days after he lost the ring. He explained that he had it done because the ring had meant so much to him. His wife and daughter were overjoyed as well we all agreed that it was a miracle that after twenty years, the old, gold Indian Chief, finally made it back home! .2012-12-17_18-21-46_396.jpg


And to all of you who have the ability to do some good deed this Christmas, Take it from someone who just found out...


It's the Best Feeling In The World!


The End.:icon_king:


Rob Mickatavage
"MickTwin"
 

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While gold and silver have their value, there are still some things that are just priceless!
You did good, my friend.
 

Great Story Man!!..Thats really cool, I bet the feeling of giving it back is just as good as finding it.

On a side note..Has anyone told you that you look like Louis CK?..sorry he is my Favorite comedian, and I think you kinda look like him
 

Great Story Man!!..Thats really cool, I bet the feeling of giving it back is just as good as finding it.

On a side note..Has anyone told you that you look like Louis CK?..sorry he is my Favorite comedian, and I think you kinda look like him

Nope, but I DO look alot like my twin brother... we're identical! LOL
 

Well done Mick. I just coordinated a return of a 50 year lost silver ring found by my buddy. I love returns.
 

Really awesome story!
 

Oh wow! That is such a bitter-sweet experience! I so hope that you will be blessed 7 times over!
 

Sucks to give back that much gold but this is still the coolest part of this hobby. I am so impressed by these "good deed" stories...can't wait until its my turn to post one.
 

Very nice and great story.
 

It is cool that he got the Indian tattoo because the ring meant so much to him. Apparently, quite a few things meant a lot to him. HA!
Good job, man!
 

Thank you for sharing - Excellent story!
 

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