Thoughts on finding wedding rings

[GrizLeeBear]

I was reading another post tonight about finding a child's ring and how sad it seemed:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/336077-saddest-find-i-ve-ever-made.html

I have found a number of lost wedding and engagement rings over the years and was, on a few occasions, able to find the original owner. But for the most part they were lost by parties unknown. I sold them and the cash was nice. However, it was always a bit sad. Imagine losing something that should be so precious to you. Most of us know how to go and recover something we have lost, but for many it is not an option. Sometimes our finds to carry a note of sadness in the joy of the find.

 

[Keppy]

for me....if an item is of any importance to someone, they will continue to think of it throughout their life. But when that item is lost, memories shift from fondness to sadness. Morally and ethically, every attempt should be made to return an item of value to their owner.

Like ....dholland02.... said and i agree with him... I bought my detector to benefit me not someone else....And i can't spend half my life trying to find a owner of a lost item ...... Some of you think you have to why

 

[Keppy]

for me....if an item is of any importance to someone, they will continue to think of it throughout their life. But when that item is lost, memories shift from fondness to sadness. Morally and ethically, every attempt should be made to return an item of value to their owner.

.......................For you but not for me.... I can't spent a lot of my time trying to find the owners of lost items... As a matter of fact i don't spend any time ...They should be more careful....
​" BOOM BABY "

 

[dholland02]

Sure if I'm out and someone says I lost something ill help them. but if I'm there and I'm along, that gold ring pops out from the dirt it can't grt in my pocket fast enough or to the truck. Don't really care how it got in that hole.

 

[cudamark]

Like ....dholland02.... said and i agree with him... I bought my detector to benefit me not someone else....And i can't spend half my life trying to find a owner of a lost item ...... Some of you think you have to why

Some of us have compassion for the one who lost the item. Sure, you can have the mind set that they were irresponsible or careless but sometimes it's just an accident or unforeseen circumstance out of ignorance but who among us hasn't done something stupid in our lives that we regretted 10 seconds later. You've obviously haven't had a woman hugging you and crying tears of joy that you were able to return a family heirloom that was lost by her daughter who had "borrowed" the ring to show off to her friends. There are a million stories of how things get lost and not all of them were from indifferent irresponsible knuckleheads. Personally, I've found plenty of jewelry that goes unclaimed (and ends up in my stash) that when I find and return one, I feel a much better sense of accomplishment and satisfaction than just another piece for the pile. It really doesn't take much effort to post a find. A quick Craig's list ad or freebie in the paper should be enough if someone really wants it back. Nobody is suggesting that you should spend money or a bunch of time researching to find the owner but doing nothing is something that I won't do.

 

[BillW212]

Here's a story about an older gentleman who found and returned a young girl's lost class ring. This is a feel good story, and the man is local to my area:
http://www.lrrc.org/website/news/news.html

I didn't say it would bother me to find valuables or that I would return anything or everything I found. I said I would at least make an attempt on items of high sentimental value - especially things like wedding rings or class rings. Maybe other things if they were engraved or otherwise identifiable. When you get a class ring, you have a school, a year, a male or female ring, a ring size, and probably initials. That's alot of information! So you contact Jostens or whatever company handles the rings and see if you can find the owner. Jostens has a page for lost and found class rings:

http://www.jostens.com/rings/class_rings_cp_ring_loss.html


Wedding rings could be alot harder, I don't know enough about those - but I'd probably start with a jeweler and see what they could tell me.

I think I would be much more interested in things like very old coins (and the older the better) than someone's lost personal items. Finding a gold coin would be the biggest thrill I could imagine. (I know there are people on the site here who have done it, too!) I guess older coins like seateds or caps wouldn't be half bad, either.

 

[jfeeney]

I lost my wedding band on the first day of my honeymoon at Waimea Bay on Oahu getting tossed onto the sand by a large wave. Lucky for me my wife *insisted* I didn't take it off when I mentioned it.

Anyway, if anyone has found it or does find it let me know.

 

[Skinsfan]

My brother lost his high school ring at beach week after graduation. He rec'd a call 26 years later. His ring was found, had the school, city and his initials inside the ring. The person called and tracked him down to return the ring. Pretty cool story. Met for lunch and the ring was returned.

 

[GrizLeeBear]

I started this thread and have followed it with interest. It is clear there is a division of thought on the issue. Each of us must follow our heart where it leads us. I have found rings and returned some. Sometimes it is impossible. I lost a class ring to a burglar one time. I was not careless. He kicked in the back door and took that along with some other valuables. I never replaced that ring. It was probably melted down within days of being stolen. I will never see it again. But, it makes me feel good when I can return one. The feeling is worth more than a few hundred dollars in cash. But, that is me. To each their own. As the Bard said, "To thine ownself be true."

 

[TerryC]

I have never, to date, lost a piece yet, that I would wish was returned. For me, returning a ring is what they call CLOSURE today. Good for the loser and good for me. TTC

 

[liftloop]

I found an 10.000 year old Indian artifact
what should i do
ever since then I get this thought of an Indian standing there with white paint on his face and black lines dressed in buck skin
It probably make banner If I could post it

 

[dholland02]

I started this thread and have followed it with interest. It is clear there is a division of thought on the issue. Each of us must follow our heart where it leads us. I have found rings and returned some. Sometimes it is impossible. I lost a class ring to a burglar one time. I was not careless. He kicked in the back door and took that along with some other valuables. I never replaced that ring. It was probably melted down within days of being stolen. I will never see it again. But, it makes me feel good when I can return one. The feeling is worth more than a few hundred dollars in cash. But, that is me. To each their own. As the Bard said, "To thine ownself be true."

Feelings dont help pay for this hobby. Stuff like that help outs sometimes. All I know is i dnt care if it has the persons email, street address, full name. The jewelry is going into my stash.

 

[Keppy]

Feelings dont help pay for this hobby. Stuff like that help outs sometimes. All I know is i dnt care if it has the persons email, street address, full name. The jewelry is going into my stash.

...... You are a true treasure hunter sir.... A man after my own heart..........

 

[dholland02]

...... You are a true treasure hunter sir.... A man after my own heart..........

Lol haha that made me laugh pretty good

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Don't forget something all you guys chiming in on this thread: If you wanted to be *really* law abiding,....... forget "compassion" etc.... : Every state has lost & found statutes on the books. *Technically* speaking, anyone finding an item of $100 value or more (value threshold varies from state to state, some are $200, etc...) that you must turn the item in to the police, for proper lost & found procedures. The laws were born out of wandering cattle laws of the last century, so that people couldn't just pick up a stray cow, and say "finders keepers" for instance. Or if the back-door of a brinks armored car swings open, you can't simply keep the bundles of $100 bills, and say "finders keepers", etc... Thus technically speaking, all of us are running afoul of this law, whenever we find a ring over the given value threshold.

And the law makes NO distinction on when YOU think the item was lost, or how long it was buried, etc... Oh, and it also makes no allowance for you to post your own CL "found" ad, thinking that this satisfies the law. It only says that the item must be turned in to the police.

However, a simple look at any day's beach hunting forum, or finds-forums, and you'll see no shortage of us finding rings or things, that exceed this value. Thus ..... I wouldn't worry about it. Class rings? Sure. But beyond that, you're going to be bordering on ridiculous.

 

[biggmike]

Feelings dont help pay for this hobby. Stuff like that help outs sometimes. All I know is i dnt care if it has the persons email, street address, full name. The jewelry is going into my stash.

I'm not trying to stir up anything but if you found a wallet with a drivers license in it full of cash would you return that or keep it? Just wondering.

 

[dholland02]

I'm not trying to stir up anything but if you found a wallet with a drivers license in it full of cash would you return that or keep it? Just wondering.

Compeletly different. That's not even the same as finding a ring that has been lost for years. You guys can post what u want, but my buddy I hunt with and I r out there for one reason and one reason only. Too find lost valuables for US. You can crucify me all u want dnt really matter to me.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Compeletly different. That's not even the same as finding a ring that has been lost for years....

Hey dholland, biggmike has a point. The only "difference" is one has return-able easy-to-spot ID, whereas the other is harder. Legally speaking however, the matter of "ease" is not left up to us. (if you wanted to be "legal", which .... apparently isn't the concern here).

One time I found a pair of prescription glasses on the beach, which appeared to be a recent loss. As I was on my way back to my truck, passing by a garbage can, I was pitching out all the junk items. As I got ready to pitch the glasses too (which are obviously of no value to anyone except the prescribed owner), I had a change of heart. I decided to do my good deed, and put them on Craigslist L&F. I figured that would be a kind deed, and .... heck ... maybe I'd even get a tip My ad even said "found with metal detector on such & such beach. Email to describe", etc...

The next morning, when I opened my email box, imagine my surprise when I see an email reply from the police dept in that little ocean-side-burg town. The officer was asking if my glasses fit a certain description. Apparently they'd ..... ironically .... had someone come in to their station that day before, reporting a pair of lost glasses on that beach, to the police dept. lost & found. The police, in turn, must've checked CL for this person, and seen my ad. Turns out, my pair did NOT match that person's lost glasses. But what followed next made it very interesting. The officer replied back to me, that ....

"I'm sure you must find lots of interesting things on the beach here. In the future, we would appreciate it if you dropped anything that you find, off at the police dept here, in order to be in compliance with the law. We have a night-deposit slot in the door, in case we are closed at the time" [emphasis mine].

At first, this odd reply had me stumped. Until I started reading the letter of the law, as it pertains to lost & found, to see what this lady cop was talking about. Doh! It made me think twice about ever posting a "found" ad again! (although I'm sure that was a fluke ) And also oddly, the intrinsic value of a pair of prescription glasses is probably next to nothing, right? Yet to the poor fellow who lost them, obviously he probably paid $100 to $300 for them from his optomotrist, right? So you tell me then, do you go by the intrinsic value, or the value-when-new? (if you intended to be honest with lost & found laws). I posed that question to a lawyer friend of mine, and here was his answer: Turn it in to the police anyhow, and let them decide which formula to use!

If no one comes in to the dept. to claim an item, then the finder gets to keep it. However, the finder (at least in CA) is responsible for the cost of the publication of the "found" ad, that the dept. had to put (as required by law) in whatever local newspaper they put their classified "found" ad in.

And I'd be skeptical if you'd ever get it back anyhow (even if no one came in to accurately describe and claim it). Because ........ think about it: what's to stop that front desk clerk, from merely picking up the phone, on the 29th day of it not being claimed, and telling their cousin Bob: "hey Bob, want a nice rolex? come in to the station and describe the following rolex, that you 'lost' at such and such beach. Then presto, you'll have yourself a nice rolex". Now I know this sounds dastardly and evil, but THINK ABOUT IT! In the eyes of the police, it was never yours to begin with. You only found it. You turned it in fully expecting that someone might claim it. So what have *you* lost? How have *you* been wronged? It wasn't yours to begin with, so how can you possibly care or expect it back?

 

[dholland02]

I understand what he ment, but u can't compare a wallet to a ring. But if that's the way to compare it he can. I just know if I'm out and the rings I find go right in my pocket. Like tbe old say finders keepers losers weepers. Its not my problem someone lost something. That's my gain to find it. I put all this money into my gear to benifet one person ME.

 

[Keppy]

Hey dholland, biggmike has a point. The only "difference" is one has return-able easy-to-spot ID, whereas the other is harder. Legally speaking however, the matter of "ease" is not left up to us. (if you wanted to be "legal", which .... apparently isn't the concern here).

One time I found a pair of prescription glasses on the beach, which appeared to be a recent loss. As I was on my way back to my truck, passing by a garbage can, I was pitching out all the junk items. As I got ready to pitch the glasses too (which are obviously of no value to anyone except the prescribed owner), I had a change of heart. I decided to do my good deed, and put them on Craigslist L&F. I figured that would be a kind deed, and .... heck ... maybe I'd even get a tip My ad even said "found with metal detector on such & such beach. Email to describe", etc...

The next morning, when I opened my email box, imagine my surprise when I see an email reply from the police dept in that little ocean-side-burg town. The officer was asking if my glasses fit a certain description. Apparently they'd ..... ironically .... had someone come in to their station that day before, reporting a pair of lost glasses on that beach, to the police dept. lost & found. The police, in turn, must've checked CL for this person, and seen my ad. Turns out, my pair did NOT match that person's lost glasses. But what followed next made it very interesting. The officer replied back to me, that ....

"I'm sure you must find lots of interesting things on the beach here. In the future, we would appreciate it if you dropped anything that you find, off at the police dept here, in order to be in compliance with the law. We have a night-deposit slot in the door, in case we are closed at the time" [emphasis mine].

At first, this odd reply had me stumped. Until I started reading the letter of the law, as it pertains to lost & found, to see what this lady cop was talking about. Doh! It made me think twice about ever posting a "found" ad again! (although I'm sure that was a fluke ) And also oddly, the intrinsic value of a pair of prescription glasses is probably next to nothing, right? Yet to the poor fellow who lost them, obviously he probably paid $100 to $300 for them from his optomotrist, right? So you tell me then, do you go by the intrinsic value, or the value-when-new? (if you intended to be honest with lost & found laws). I posed that question to a lawyer friend of mine, and here was his answer: Turn it in to the police anyhow, and let them decide which formula to use!

If no one comes in to the dept. to claim an item, then the finder gets to keep it. However, the finder (at least in CA) is responsible for the cost of the publication of the "found" ad, that the dept. had to put (as required by law) in whatever local newspaper they put their classified "found" ad in.

And I'd be skeptical if you'd ever get it back anyhow (even if no one came in to accurately describe and claim it). Because ........ think about it: what's to stop that front desk clerk, from merely picking up the phone, on the 29th day of it not being claimed, and telling their cousin Bob: "hey Bob, want a nice rolex? come in to the station and describe the following rolex, that you 'lost' at such and such beach. Then presto, you'll have yourself a nice rolex". Now I know this sounds dastardly and evil, but THINK ABOUT IT! In the eyes of the police, it was never yours to begin with. You only found it. You turned it in fully expecting that someone might claim it. So what have *you* lost? How have *you* been wronged? It wasn't yours to begin with, so how can you possibly care or expect it back?

... You see i don't worry about what the law says about my finds........ For i never try to find the owner...... Money in my bank account and no problems with the law.................... The best thing any one can do is stay away from all government officials ............. The less you tell them or ask them the better off you will be.....

 

[cudamark]

I understand what he ment, but u can't compare a wallet to a ring. But if that's the way to compare it he can. I just know if I'm out and the rings I find go right in my pocket. Like tbe old say finders keepers losers weepers. Its not my problem someone lost something. That's my gain to find it. I put all this money into my gear to benifet one person ME.

If that is your criteria, you wouldn't return the wallet either, right? What difference does it make which item it is and how long the item was lost? A day? A week? A year? 50 years? If you find a silver wedding ring, what are you going to get for it when you sell it? A few bucks? If it's someone's wedding ring, they might give you a few hundred as a reward for returning it. If all you care about is the money you'll make, it seems to me that returning it would benefit you more, or am I missing something here?