Lost Ring, Found in Back Yard and Returned - Rochester, MA

October 20, 2023: While I was out doing yard work Leighton called with information on a ring search he was not able to help with. My wife was on her way to a luncheon, but took time to stop bye and tell me of the call. I finished up what I was doing, went home, and called Leighton. Information in hand I returned Mary’s call to get the specific information on the ring’s loss. It was the previous day that Reed’s wedding band was lost while playing football with his sons. I took down the pertinent information and I was on my way.

Reed had purchased a detector to search for the ring. His son had set up a well laid out grid over the possible area the ring had been lost in. But they were unsuccessful in locating the ring because of lack of familiarity with the detector and amount of non-precious metal in the yard. I was impressed when I saw what they had done, very professional. A point of last known and first realizing the loss were marked. Making my task of keeping a well defined grid search very easy.

Within several minutes I had verified several target signals as invalid. I made a few adjustments to my detector’s setting and bingo…a perfect signal. It was hard to see the ring as it had been stepped upon which embedded it into the soft soil. All that could be seen was one side of the ring.

I gave the ring to Mary and I listened to the problems encountered with the new metal detector while hunting for the ring. Well, I gave a few minutes of instructions on the detector’s use and I am sure there is a new young detectorist in the family. I could not have wished for a better hobby to pursue. I have met so many wonderful people and been there when they have needed a bit of help.

As this return was preceded with two members passing along information I just wanted to add my Thank You to both Leighton Harrington for passing the info to me and to Brian Rudolph in Maryland for helping Mary find the right “RingFinder” closer to her home and who would help her and her husband in the search for a lost Tantalum wedding band. This was my first Tantalum ring that I have found in my 41 years of detecting. Thanks to all, it has been my pleasure.