Lost 1982 Class Ring Found in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, with a Metal Detector. Returned to Owner
On Friday , February 9, 2024, I decided to brave the cold windy beach conditions and take advantage, of the negative low tides , here in Maine. We have had some big winter storms in the last month and a lot of sand has been moved.
I found lots of crusty coins, a Milwaukee Electric Saw (crazy things under the sand) and a 10K 1982 Class Ring. As soon as I got home, I got the magnifying glass out and determined the ring was from Billerica Memorial High School, in Billerica, Massachusetts. Billerica is approximately 90 miles from the resort town of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, that I found the ring in.
The ring is very small and most likely a woman’s ring. I then searched the inside of the band, saw a 10K mark and the initials of JMG. I then performed an internet search and to my amazement, I found an online yearbook, for the 1982 school year. I found two different students, with those initials. One was a male and the other a female. I just knew it had to belong to the female, because of the very small size.
On Monday, when the school reopened, I sent an email to the principal, of the High School and explained I was trying to return the ring and if they could help with contact information. His reply was that they do not have contact for past students, but the Alumni Association, may be able to help. I contacted the Alumni Association but they would not respond, other than one time and never responded back to me again.
I then posted the found High School ring on many of the local Billerica Facebook groups, including Billerica Memorial High School Class Of 1982. I received lots of comments and everyone knew that the ring must belong to Jean, a 1982 graduate. I was able to get a phone number and when I called, I was able to speak with Jean’s Husband, Bill. I explained to Bill what was going on and he wasn’t sure if Jean had ever lost her ring, but he would ask her when he got home.
Bill called back and yes, Jean did not have her ring, as it wasn’t in her jewelry box. As a matter of fact, Jean didn’t even know that the ring was missing. When I told them the ring was found in Maine, Bill told me the only place it would have been lost in Maine, was in Old Orchard Beach, where they often went to, on vacation. When I mentioned I found the ring with my metal detector, down in the wet sand, at low tide, I was told they the family would always lay on the beach, in front of Palace Playland, an amusement park, right next to the Old Orchard Beach Pier. Well, that is exactly where I found it. As far as Jean not knowing the ring was missing was easily explained. Jean’s daughters would often wear the ring and also a granddaughter. They were allowed to wear it but were to put it back, when not wearing the ring. Although, none of the daughters or granddaughter will admit to it, It most likely was being worn by one of the girls, when it was lost, as they swan, in the water. The ring was most likely lost sometime between 2012 and 2019, as the family hasn’t been back to Old Orchard Beach, since Covid started.
On Saturday, March 16th, my wife and I drove to Billerica to return the ring. Unfortunately, something unexpectedly came up and Jean could not be there to get her ring back personally. She instead, sent her Husband, Bill and youngest daughter, Katie. Although it was disappointing not to meet Jean, I was extremely happy to have returned the ring to her family.
There is no better feeling than to return these precious items back to the rightful owner. 
Kate reached out to me wanting to know if it was possible to locate her engagement that slipped off her finger during the day somewhere at the beach. It was late in the evening, and after determining that it was close to high tide when it most likely came off, it would be best to wait until the early morning low tide. We arranged to meet early the next morning at the dune walkover. As we were heading to the location I had asked her to mark in google maps we talked about the main things she could remember leading up the the ring disappearing. Once we got to the spot, she showed me some pictures she had, before and after the ring went missing. Something didn’t look just right, but I figured I would check the area that was marked. After coming up empty handed I asked her to see the pics again, it was then I knew that was not quit the right location. I adjusted the location about 40′ to the north, and things looked just right, including the piles of seaweed that had pushed high up on the hill the prior day when the pics were taken. Kate confirmed after looking at the pics that this was absolutely the right location. Combined with the rough surf, was the fact that she was boogie boarding, and that is never a good thing when doing a recovery. Kate did remember one wave that knocked her down, where she lost the board, and that was luckily close to the beach in waist deep water. I decided to hit that area real quick, and while Kate was in about knee deep water looking, I got a signal that made my eyes open wide. With the waves crashing right where I was, I took extra time to zero in on the exact spot, and hoped to grab it on the first scoop. Sure enough I had it on the first try, BINGO, it was her absolutely stunning ring!!!!! Kate had no idea what had just taken place just a few feet behind her, as I scooted up the hill , past the waves to get a better look and clean it off. At that moment I decided to make a video to capture her response, which you will see I’m not very good at. (Will be posted soon) Her reaction was something that makes this profession SO SO rewarding that no words could ever explain.
