On a Mission
There was a recent story in the media – and one we are all familiar with – about a detectorist who was ‘on a mission’ to reunite a unique ring with it’s owner after he’d recovered it from a local field. He naturally thought whoever had lost it would be grateful for the safe return.
Don’t Assume Anything
We tend to assume that the return of such a find will be welcomed by the true owner, but this isn’t always the case as I related when I told the story about a ring found in the UK being reunited with the American ‘giver’. The recipient wasn’t very happy to get the ring back because it brought back memories of a sour relationship that he had been trying to forget. Not only that – he had remarried and was very happy in the new wife.
Then there was the case of the ring returned to a very pleased and grateful owner, but she wanted to keep it secret. It happened like this …
I was asked if I could find a ring lost in a field during a large village barbecue …
Evidently, a lady had emerged from the Portaloo flapping her hands to dry (like they do) and realised that her ring was missing only when arriving home. Although the organisers and friends had borrowed a metal detector and made a search they drew a blank, there was nothing to be found.
The lady was aghast!
I was called in four years later and by a stroke of good fortune, located the missing jewel-encrusted gold wedding band. At first the lady was ecstatic to think that her ring had been discovered after being lost for so long. The farmer thought it would be a good human interest story and that the local press may be interested. However, she was aghast and wanted nothing to do with the suggestion and explained her reasoning.
Seeing her disappointment at losing her wedding ring, her husband had soon bought her another. He also claimed on insurance and recovered the full cost of his initial purchase. In addition, the original lost ring had been returned. I was beginning to realise why the couple didn’t want cheap publicity in the local rag!
But it’s not all doom and gloom, of course. Far from it – there are some heart-warming tales. Just this week I heard the improbable story of a Florida man who accidentally dropped his class ring off a cruise ship two decades ago. A detectorist recently found it on Daytona beach and tracked down the owner using Facebook. Incredible! The owner was very pleased and is reported as saying, “This is wild! I never thought I’d ever see it again.“
JOHN’S METAL DETECTING BLOG 
I have had mixed results in returning finds to owners John.. some were grateful, ; others…… less so.
I did have a chuckle when I found a cell phone in the water at Shawnigan Lake many years back. I managed to
open it up and found ‘mom’ in the contacts. I called, explained what I was doing and where the phone was found. The lady’s response was classic.. ‘That young lady is in deep trouble. She was told not to go up; she told me she was at her girlfriends studying’..
I have feeling the young lady lost the phone.. LOL
And then there was the time I( too found a ring, tracked the owner down and told him I had his ring.. ‘Oh.. could you drop it off for me?’ [And that would have been a 2 hour drive one way.. so nope.. I did not drop it off]
Micheal
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Good to see you were able to find the long lost ring. A pity they didn’t want any publicity.
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I remember reading about a metal detectorist who used to detect the beach at beachy head looking for engagement rings and wedding rings … Apparently when a couple broke up they used to throw their rings off the head … Gary
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Interesting to hear two different viewpoints on ring returns, usually it’s just ecstatic people getting it back that you hear about.
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