A Return Like No Other!

Chipk

Elite Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
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3,314
Location
Jacksonville / Yulee Florida
Return number 34. BUT THIS WAS LIKE NO OTHER RETURN EVER!

I received a call from a woman I am acquainted with and she was very upset. She had just purchased a $200 diamond stud (for her nostril) and immediately lost it. Would I come find it?

I agreed but I warned her that small gold is extremely hard to find and that most detectors can not pick it up. In fact the only combo I know of that will find it is a Garrett Ace 250 with a sniper coil. It can find small thin gold but it’s tough searching with a 4.5” coil. Doesn’t cover much space.

I packed my gear and drove to her house but learned the gold stud was INSIDE OF HER HOUSE! Not only that but this woman was a major league slob. She has lived in the house for nearly 2 years but boxes full of her stuff were spread out and stacked everywhere. You had to walk rhrough paths throughout. (Ever seen the tv show HOARDERS? One small notch down from that). Also she was breeding dogs, some kind of small foo-foo mutts and there were 6 of them in kennels all over, yapping, barking and SHEDDING! Dog hair everywhere. And dust! Loads of dust.

She led me to her office where she claimed her cat knocked the stud out of her hand and she heard it bounce twice. Her office was even worse than the rest of the house. Boxes everywhere, dog hair and dust bunnies the size of actual bunnies. Pizza crusts were on the floor. Plus the whole house was very dim.

I am allergic to dust and half blind but I do enjoy an occasional challenge.

I told her I’d be back in about an hour and a half. I drove home and exchanged by detectors and pinpointers for: a stick vacuum cleaner, a handheld vacuum cleaner, a couple of very strong flashlights and…….a leaf blower!

I went back into her house armed with the leaf blower, hand held vacuum and flashlight. I worked my way back to the office and used the leaf blower to blow behind and under her filthy desk and behind the file cabinets and around the boxes. I used my 1500 lumen flashlight to examine all of the “stuff” that flew out and around. I used the handheld vacuum around the edges of the furniture and other items then emptied the canister and checked it. Nothing.

Finally I took my flashlight and got on my hands and knees and crawled under her desk and pulled out everything piled underneath, including the pizza crust and again checked. Nothing.

As I was starting to back out I noticed one thing that caught my attention. Her floor was a cheap wood flooring and you could see the tack heads holding it in place and it looked like one was coming up. I put my finger on it and it rolled. It was her tiny tiny stud. I mean this thing is so small I’m amazed I saw it.
 

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Your story is awesome! However the ending photo was a bit of a let down, expected something more than a tiny dot! I'm pretty sure I have drill bits with more diamond than that! Great job on the hunt and return !

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I woulda personally, mentally given her an hour of my time, and if I didn't hit a home run, one hour? I'd just gone away. All for a simple stud, and tiny stone. I don't get it.
 
This has got to be the most unusual repatriation reunion story posted here, in a long time ! And since it wasn't done with a metal detector, we can't give you an atteboy (just kidding)

..... In fact the only combo I know of that will find it is a Garrett Ace 250 with a sniper coil......

Nahh, plenty of other detectors can get an earring stud. Like even the newfangled 600 or 800 in their hyper-sensitive beach or nugget mode. And needless to say, any of the various machines equipped with a nugget prospecting mode. Of course every pinhead will "ring the bells of notre dame", but .... you'll hear an earring stud :cool3:
 
i hope she dont read this article Chip-- might hurt her feelings...:( and i hope you washed your hands after the booger stud:laughing::laughing::laughing:

maybe she even took the hint and vacuumed some.... and i bet you did not take the wife out for pizza afterward.... :shock::lol::lol::lol:

anyways good show Chip gimme a call... bad weather and things getting somewhat caught up with lifes disasters so back on the project you sent... still have not assembled my project.. . been a nightmare month...
 
One thought came to my mind after reading that story and seeing that tiny stone...she better keep your number handy:laughing: Maybe the forum here could get a little action going on how long until she has to call you back. Just kidding, I don't gamble, I just find treasure:cool3:
 
She got her stud back and her office cleaned. I’d be suspicious if she calls back claiming she lost it in a different room this time.


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This is what I think some of my classmates would call a "bruh" moment... She spent 200 clams on that tiny thing, just to have it on her nose where no one will see it? :laughing:

Nice job on the recoveries!

Josh
 
This has got to be the most unusual repatriation reunion story posted here, in a long time ! And since it wasn't done with a metal detector, we can't give you an atteboy (just kidding)



Nahh, plenty of other detectors can get an earring stud. Like even the newfangled 600 or 800 in their hyper-sensitive beach or nugget mode. And needless to say, any of the various machines equipped with a nugget prospecting mode. Of course every pinhead will "ring the bells of notre dame", but .... you'll hear an earring stud :cool3:

Well I own 12 detectors (Garrett’s, Tesoro and Minelabs) and I don’t believe any of them would have picked up that speck of gold. However I’ve never played with a Nox so that’s good to know.
 
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It's hard to believe someone would pay $200 for about $25 worth of gold and a $25 stone.
Nice recovery!
 
After reading this I hope she don't blow her nose in the bathroom and lose it again. You my be getting a second call.
 
Ummm... I didn't see anything about a reward ? Did she at least make you dinner ?
 
Well I own 12 detectors (Garrett’s, Tesoro and Minelabs) and I don’t believe any of them would have picked up that speck of gold. However I’ve never played with a Nox so that’s good to know.

even my mxsport will hit that thing in all metal mode with a small coil.
 
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