I found his ring, now how do I find HIM?

FoiledAgain · Oct 1, 2018

While I was detecting back in August, a fellow waded out to ask if I might look for a ring that he'd lost a few days before. He introduced himself with his first name and described the ring, including the inscription inside. I said I'd be happy to look and he showed me the area where he lost the ring and went back to the beach. I spent a couple of hours working the area, with no result. I had asked him to write down his contact information for me in case I found the ring when he was not around, but he had not come back and I was not able to find him when I had to leave.

Jump ahead to yesterday. I was back in the same area and decided to take another look, although it was pretty well sanded in. Within a few minutes I hit the ring, only a few inches deep within the same area that I'd thoroughly covered more than a month ago. Go figure. In any case, I now have the ring, positively identified by the inscription, but I have no clue how to go about finding the owner.

Anyone have an idea?

slider66 · Oct 1, 2018

Try lost and found on Craig’s list but don’t give the inscription

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

FoiledAgain · Oct 1, 2018

slider66 said:
Try lost and found on Craig’s list but don’t give the inscription Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Done. Thanks Slider.

dewcon · Oct 2, 2018

You might contact ring finders...... they may have gotten a request to look for it back then as well.

FelixtheCat · Oct 2, 2018

Congrats on finding the ring and good luck on the return. In the past, whenever I wasn't able to retrieve a lost item at that moment, I will usually tell people my cell phone # and have them check with me. If they check back that tells me they're interested and I also have a way of contacting them back in case I find it in the future. Also, since I work at a local public high school I am also able to be contacted through the school. I tell them where I work and my name and to just call the school and ask for me.

Tom_in_CA · Oct 2, 2018

Interesting story. Now you will be forever befuddled, if you don't find the guy. Because if/when you give up trying to locate him, you might think you're going to throw it in with your other rings for their smelt value. But lo & behold, one day you see him on the beach again. You're going to feel like a twerp for having cashed it in. Or feel like a big twerp if you lied and said "nope, didn't find it yet". Ie.: durned either way.

Good luck !

Tom_in_CA · Oct 2, 2018

ChrisMD said:
Hahahahaha, exactly! I have a class ring like that, located the guy and he was an absolute jerk, wanted me to drive a couple hours to deliver it to him, and wouldn't provide an address to mail it. Now I'm stuck with that damn ring and nothing I can do with it without feeling worse.

Ha! Similar thing happened to me. Found a lady's high school class ring. After much research and calls, located her current location. She had lost it some 10 yrs. earlier, and now lives in another part of CA.

We negotiated how I was going to get it back to her. I told her I'd be passing through that part of CA in a week, on a business trip, and would be happy to drop it off. However, at the last minute, that business trip got cancelled. I emailed to tell her, but got no reply. Till a week or two later. At that time, I thought my business meeting that direction would be re-scheduled, so I told her "Next time I'm passing through there".

However, we kept missing connections. Till .... honestly, I forget all about it. A year later, after all communication has ceased, I notice the ring again in my trays. Wondering : Do I try again ? Do I throw it in my melt pile ?

Eventually she cold called me again, and I confirmed I still had it. Asked her to give me her mailing address. She did. I paid postage. Never got a "thankyou". Never got an acknowledgement that it arrived.

Oh well . Fortunately most repatriation/reunion stories are not like that.

Saltshaker · Oct 2, 2018

Congrats on the ring. My first suggestion would be to try Craigslist. Alot of folks post there. But worst case you could put up some flyers in the area in the event the guy is local...he may see it.

slider66 · Oct 2, 2018

ChrisMD said:
Hahahahaha, exactly! I have a class ring like that, located the guy and he was an absolute jerk, wanted me to drive a couple hours to deliver it to him, and wouldn't provide an address to mail it. Now I'm stuck with that damn ring and nothing I can do with it without feeling worse.

Mail the ring to the school and let the school contact him.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Caribbeanson · Oct 2, 2018

Sometimes if the wedding date is inscribed and you know the first name you can google a bit and sometimes find a wedding registry on theknot or one of those sites, this leads to more info like last names etc. My last good find was like that, contacted the owner on social media but haven't gotten a response yet. :?:

PT950 hangs in the balance

pacer · Oct 2, 2018

FelixtheCat said:
Congrats on finding the ring and good luck on the return. In the past, whenever I wasn't able to retrieve a lost item at that moment, I will usually tell people my cell phone # and have them check with me. If they check back that tells me they're interested and I also have a way of contacting them back in case I find it in the future. Also, since I work at a local public high school I am also able to be contacted through the school. I tell them where I work and my name and to just call the school and ask for me.

I always carry my metal detecting business cards with me, even when I'm not detecting. One never knows when the opportunity presents itself to hand them out. By doing so, it puts the responsibility on their shoulders to follow up and contact you about their lost object. If they don't follow up, then perhaps they're not serious about what they lost.

FoiledAgain · Oct 2, 2018

dewcon said:
You might contact ring finders...... they may have gotten a request to look for it back then as well.

Good thought, I'll check into it.

FelixtheCat said:
Congrats on finding the ring and good luck on the return. In the past, whenever I wasn't able to retrieve a lost item at that moment, I will usually tell people my cell phone # and have them check with me. If they check back that tells me they're interested and I also have a way of contacting them back in case I find it in the future. Also, since I work at a local public high school I am also able to be contacted through the school. I tell them where I work and my name and to just call the school and ask for me.

Thanks for the info Felix. Made me think of another idea -> carry a plastic card and grease pencil (i.e., waterproof) to write down contact data.

Tom_in_CA said:
Interesting story. Now you will be forever befuddled, if you don't find the guy. Because if/when you give up trying to locate him, you might think you're going to throw it in with your other rings for their smelt value. But lo & behold, one day you see him on the beach again. You're going to feel like a twerp for having cashed it in. Or feel like a big twerp if you lied and said "nope, didn't find it yet". Ie.: durned either way.
Good luck !

No plans to 'cash it in', so it won't bother me one way or another. If a return can't be made, then it will pass on to my kids when I 'cash in' and it'll be their problem. :lol:

ChrisMD said:
Try doing a google search with as much details as you know about him with the words lost ring and the location it was lost.
Sometimes you can pick up a google search of people talking about their lost ring somewhere.

I've had a go at that with no result. Good idea though.

Saltshaker said:
Congrats on the ring. My first suggestion would be to try Craigslist. Alot of folks post there. But worst case you could put up some flyers in the area in the event the guy is local...he may see it.

I have it on Craigslist. We'll see if it produces.

Caribbeanson said:
Sometimes if the wedding date is inscribed and you know the first name you can google a bit and sometimes find a wedding registry on theknot or one of those sites, this leads to more info like last names etc. My last good find was like that, contacted the owner on social media but haven't gotten a response yet. PT950 hangs in the balance

Now that's creative thinking! I'll give it a try.

tbw said:
I always carry my metal detecting business cards with me, even when I'm not detecting. One never knows when the opportunity presents itself to hand them out. By doing so, it puts the responsibility on their shoulders to follow up and contact you about their lost object. If they don't follow up, then perhaps they're not serious about what they lost.

I have cards for that purpose but I haven't carried them in the water, for obvious reasons. But from now on I'll put a couple in a plastic bag and stick them in my cap or somewhere relatively dry.

Thanks to all for the great ideas!

brncofan · Oct 2, 2018

Good luck hope you find the guy keep us posted

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

KinTN · Oct 2, 2018

ChrisMD said:
Hahahahaha, exactly! I have a class ring like that, located the guy and he was an absolute jerk, wanted me to drive a couple hours to deliver it to him, and wouldn't provide an address to mail it. Now I'm stuck with that damn ring and nothing I can do with it without feeling worse.

I believe that I would tell the guy: "On x date at x time, I am going to place your ring on the bench in front of the courthouse in x town. Get it if you still want it- I'm over it."
I have no use for people that expect others to do for them.

.

KinTN · Oct 2, 2018

ChrisMD, if you just wanted to be rid of it guilt free, you could turn it in as Found to the local PD. Then tell the guy what you did with it only if you want to.
When some goobermint employee steals it then, its not on you.

.

FoiledAgain · Oct 2, 2018

brncofan said:
Good luck hope you find the guy keep us posted
Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

Thanks brnco. Time will tell.

KinTN said:
I believe that I would tell the guy: "On x date at x time, I am going to place your ring on the bench in front of the courthouse in x town. Get it if you still want it- I'm over it."
I have no use for people that expect others to do for them.

KinTN said:
ChrisMD, if you just wanted to be rid of it guilt free, you could turn it in as Found to the local PD. Then tell the guy what you did with it only if you want to.
When some goobermint employee steals it then, its not on you.

Hmmm, two good ways to throw away gold. Don't think I'll go there :dash2:

KinTN · Oct 3, 2018

FoiledAgain said:
Thanks brnco. Time will tell.

Hmmm, two good ways to throw away gold. Don't think I'll go there

Some people have morals different from other folks'. I try not to judge where theres not a clear answer. Knowing who owns something and taking/keeping it anyway.............well, you make your own call.
Also please note that my comments were addressing Chris and not your OP.

.

Caribbeanson · Oct 3, 2018

KinTN said:
Some people have morals different from other folks'. I try not to judge where theres not a clear answer. Knowing who owns something and taking/keeping it anyway.............well, you make your own call.
Also please note that my comments were addressing Chris and not your OP.

.

Could always call and say if I don't hear from you by Oct 15th I'll be throwing it back into the ocean

If you're lucky enough to find it a 2nd time then I guess you should be able to keep it :lol:

BRJ123 · Oct 3, 2018

Tom_in_CA said:
Interesting story. Now you will be forever befuddled, if you don't find the guy. Because if/when you give up trying to locate him, you might think you're going to throw it in with your other rings for their smelt value. But lo & behold, one day you see him on the beach again. You're going to feel like a twerp for having cashed it in. Or feel like a big twerp if you lied and said "nope, didn't find it yet". Ie.: durned either way.

Good luck !

yup....perks of being the nice guy....

I found his ring, now how do I find HIM?

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