Tag Archives: lost jewelry recovery service

Landscaper Lost Gold Pendant

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Kevin sent me a text message asking if I could help find a very sentimental gold cross that he lost while working his landscaping job. He was on a riding mower, and his chain got caught on a low branch. The chain snapped, and the charm went missing. He has the chain. He got my information from a former co-worker of my wife.
 
I told him he would need to secure permission from the owner of the house to search his backyard. Permission granted. We met at 5 pm, it would be dark shortly.
 
I started with my main detector and large coil. Searched most of the yard with no luck. I switched to my backup detector with a very small coil and a small gold program. After about 10 minutes, we got the signal we were hoping for. I separated the grass, and there was the charm!
 
Kevin was getting worried when I didn’t find it with the 1st detector. The look on his face when I showed him the charm was priceless!
 
I Love My Hobby!
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Links to Metal Detecting Websites

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Yard Clean-up Equals a Lost Ring

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We search more than beaches!

Frank sent me an email asking if I could help him. While doing yard work he lost his platinum wedding band. He has worn it for 14 years. I sent him a message back stating I would help tomorrow morning as I was currently at the Phillies-Padres playoff game. Go Phillies!

Early the next morning I sent Frank an email letting him know to call me when he was available. He called and gave me his address. So I loaded my vehicle and headed over.

I arrived at his house, and the 1st thing I noticed was how nice the yard/grass looks. It was thick and easy to hide a ring. It was also well-decorated for Halloween. Frank was outside waiting for me. He took me to the different areas that he was working on yesterday. The last stop was where he felt his ring come off. He explained that he was throwing some of the yard debris into the woods. When he was done he shook off the dirt from his hands. At that moment he felt his ring come off. He searched for it without success. He even went out and bought an inexpensive metal detector to search. He mimicked the event while holding a quarter to see where it would land. I spotted the quarter while scanning the area with my eyes. 

I grabbed my detector and started. There is a manhole cover in the area and a metal fence. But there were a lot of other metal signals in the area. The developers must have made the woods a dumping ground.  There were sticker bushes and vines all over making it difficult to swing the detector properly. After about 20 minutes and many targets, I get a nice signal. I can’t see anything so I get out my pinpointer. I move the leaves and grass and there is a platinum ring. I would have never been found without a metal detector because it was totally hidden. 

Frank was elated that I found it in the area he searched many times. Hopefully, he can return the detector he bought. Unless you are an experienced detectorist, chances are you won’t be able to find a lost ring unless you are very lucky. You need to know how to set up a detector to find the type of metal or object you are looking for. You need to know what the detector is telling you when it makes a sound. 

Frank found me by doing a Google search for how to find a lost ring. He was so happy that he didn’t give up and reached professional. 

I Love My Hobby!!

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Playing Ball Equals Lost Ring

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We search More Than Beaches!

Katie called me after someone on FaceBook recommended me, thank you to whoever that was. She was in her backyard throwing a ball when she lost her engagement ring. She searched for days with no luck. Then she resorted to social media. 

Friday was the day I could search, so we set up a date. Katie couldn’t be there but her mom would be. Katie describe to me over text messages where she was in the yard and in what direction she was throwing the ball.

I started near the middle of the tear and did a grid pattern in the north direction. I was getting a few deeper targets and just passed them by. About 20 minutes into the search I got a good signal in the range that small gold rings should be. I pulled back the ring and there was the ring I was looking for. It looked like it was stepped on and it was embedded in the mud, sideways. 

When I showed Katie’s mom she couldn’t believe it. She said Katie would be so happy. 

I Love My Hobby!!

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Lost Ring While Playing With The Dog

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We search more than beaches!

Frank sent me an email asking if I could help him. While doing yard work he lost his platinum wedding band. He has worn it for 14 years. I sent him a message back stating I would help tomorrow morning as I was currently at the Phillies-Padres playoff game. Go Phillies!

Early the next morning I sent Frank an email letting him know to call me when he was available. He called and gave me his address. So I loaded my vehicle and headed over.

I arrived at his house, and the 1st thing I noticed was how nice the yard/grass looks. It was thick and easy to hide a ring. It was also well-decorated for Halloween. Frank was outside waiting for me. He took me to the different areas that he was working on yesterday. The last stop was where he felt his ring come off. He explained that he was throwing some of the yard debris into the woods. When he was done he shook off the dirt from his hands. At that moment he felt his ring come off. He searched for it without success. He even went out and bought an inexpensive metal detector to search. He mimicked the event while holding a quarter to see where it would land. I spotted the quarter while scanning the area with my eyes. 

I grabbed my detector and started. There is a manhole cover in the area and a metal fence. But there were a lot of other metal signals in the area. The developers must have made the woods a dumping ground.  There were sticker bushes and vines all over making it difficult to swing the detector properly. After about 20 minutes and many targets, I get a nice signal. I can’t see anything so I get out my pinpointer. I move the leaves and grass and there is a platinum ring. I would have never been found without a metal detector because it was totally hidden. 

Frank was elated that I found it in the area he searched many times. Hopefully, he can return the detector he bought. Unless you are an experienced detectorist, chances are you won’t be able to find a lost ring unless you are very lucky. You need to know how to set up a detector to find the type of metal or object you are looking for. You need to know what the detector is telling you when it makes a sound. 

Frank found me by doing a Google search for how to find a lost ring. He was so happy that he didn’t give up and reached professional. 

I Love My Hobby!!

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Property Markers Found in Audubon NJ

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John emailed me asking if I could locate property markers. I said that I have in the past. We set up a search on Saturday morning. He sent me a copy of his survey that was done more than 30 years ago. 

When I arrived we walked the property. The two in the front yard shouldn’t be an issue, but the two in the back yard will be much harder as there is a chain-link fence & metal poles in the area.

I got to work. The 2 front yard markers were found within 15 minutes. I did not find the two in the backyard. In the area of both markers are telephone poles running electric lines. The markers could have been removed or displaced. The fence was also troubling as I had to use my pinpointer to search. 

John was very happy that I found two of the 4 markers. 

I love my hobby!!

 

 

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Yardwork in Howell Twp NJ Causes Lost Ring

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In late April, Roy left a message on my phone asking if I could help him locate his lost wedding ring. I called him back about an hour later. He explained that while cleaning up his yard he was throwing sticks into the woods. At some point, his ring must have flown off. I told him I would be there within the hour, hopefully getting there before the sunset. 

I got there with a few minutes to spare as there was still some daylight. He showed me the area he thinks he lost his ring. He explained that he has recently lost a lot of weight and his ring was loose. He said after he called he went out with a leaf blower and tried to find it, creating a large pile of leaves. 

I told him if it is here I will find it. I started searching and got a signal almost immediately. It was deeper than a surface find so I continued. Roy and his wife started walking back to the house. Within the next 2 minutes, I got a very strong signal in the pile of leaves. I kicked them to the side and there was Roy’s wedding ring. 

As I was taking a picture they noticed me on the ground and started to walk back. I picked it up and showed them what I found. They were stunned that I found it so quickly. Roy explained that it has a lot of sentimental value and that his 14th anniversary is in 2 days. 

I handed the ring to his wife, so she could put it back on his finger! The smiles on their faces were well worth the long drive to get there. Roy said he was going to get a ring guard so he wouldn’t have to call me again!

I love my hobby!

 

 

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Leprechaun Trying to Steal a Gold Ring In Collingswood NJ, Found by Dave Milsted

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Michael called me during my Sunday morning run. He was outside yesterday doing yardwork, mulching, and playing with his 2 young daughters. When he finally went inside, Michael noticed his rose gold wedding ring was missing. He said he found my website and read the tip about searching at night with a flashlight. He gave that a try but didn’t have any success. I told him that I was halfway through my 6-mile run and would come over when I was finished. 

I met Michael and he showed me the different areas he did work and played with his daughters. It was pretty much the whole yard. I started in the areas he mulched. He had removed the mulch and put it in a bag. In the 2 areas I searched, I found a couple of nails and a few other unknown metal objects. 

Michael went to get the bag of mulch he removed. As he was in the garage I got a great signal in a thick patch of clover. I parted the clover and there it was a very nice rose gold ring. I believe the local leprechaun was trying to keep the gold ring, as it was well concealed. It would have been found without a metal detector  He could believe that I found it in 10 minutes. The look on his face was priceless. He also couldn’t believe that he has so much emotion over a ring. Sentimental feelings are a very powerful thing. 

Michael found me through Facebook, from a successful recovery a few blocks away in Collingswood, a month or so ago. That was also a rose gold ring. 

I Love My Hobby!

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Making Snow Angels = Lost Ring…

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I received a call from Katelyn. She told me that her husband lost his rose gold wedding ring in their yard yesterday, after we received 8 inches of new snow. They have been trying to melt some of the snow after having someone with a metal detector out yesterday with no luck. 

I was at their house about 20 minutes later. Mike & Katelyn came out and showed me what happened. He had just got done making a snow angel and was flicking his hands trying to get the snow off, and away went his ring. 

I turned on my machine and there was a ton of interference. A neighbor must be sending out radio waves to aliens. I tried everything to make the interference stop, no luck. I had MIke place a coin on the ground to make sure I would be able to hear the signal through the noise, and it works. 

I started searching the area. I found the gas line and the water line. I had a few other signals that were under the frozen ground. Then I got a signal that moved when I tried to clear away the snow. SUCCESS! What a beautiful rose colored gold ring it was! It took about 15 minutes to find. Both Mike & Katelyn were so happy. They thought that they might have to wait until spring to find it. 

Thank you to Karen & Lynda for recommending me on Facebook!

I Love My Hobby!

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Early Christmas Gift in Barrington NJ, When Lost Wedding Ring is Found

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My wife got a request for my services from a friend of hers from the gym. It seems that George takes care of several feral cat colonies. On Tuesday when he got home he noticed his wedding ring of 49 years was missing. He checked his gloves, car & trunk. No luck.

We made arrangements to meet Thursday, in the afternoon to start the search, We met and he showed me his routine. We emptied food bowls to make sure it was not mixed in with the chow. We checked the water bowls and supply box. Next, I used one of my detectors, a Minelab Equinox with a very small coil. There are a lot of metal items in the area.The ring was not found, off to stop 2. 

At the 2nd stop, George again showed me his routine. We checked the bowls and the supply box, nothing. He said he did throw some trash in the nearby dumpster. My heart sank. We opened the dumpster lid and it had been emptied. As I was searching the area with my detector, I questioned George about the check of his car and the gloves he wore that day. He said I could check his car if I wanted to. He is currently wearing the gloves he used on Tuesday, and there is no ring in them. 

I finished searching the area with the metal detector with no luck. I moved to George’s car. I looked in the back seat, nothing. I then went to look under the driver’s seat, and there was his white gold wedding ring. He couldn’t believe it was there after he had looked. 

The smile on his face was awesome. He said that his wife told him that the ring wouldn’t be found. This upcoming year will be their 50th Anniversary. Christmas came a few days early for George!

I love my hobby!!

 

 

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Yardwork Temporarily Claimed a Gold Ring in Mt Laurel

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Cindy, a grade school classmate of mine, recommended me to a friend of hers. Cindy’s friend’s husband Bryan lost his white gold wedding ring while doing yard work last weekend. 

I was able to meet up with Nichole today to do a search. She showed me the areas he was working last weekend. I started in the small area in the front yard with no luck. I moved to the much larger area in the backyard. A lot of leaves and thick grass made a great hiding spot for a ring. 

I searched just about the whole backyard with no luck. I was going to get my machine with the smaller coil to search the areas closer to metal objects. While walking back to my truck I said to myself I should expand the search area in the front yard. 

3 feet from the area I searched I get a good hit on my detector. I bend down and spread the grass, and there is the missing ring. I was able to surprise Nichole when she answered the door. She was so happy, she said she was going to get the ring resized before Bryan can wear it again. He has lost it a few times recently.

I love my hobby!

 

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Yardwork In King of Prussia PA Almost Claimed a Gold Ring

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Justin called this week asking if I could help find a lost ring. He is pretty sure he lost in his yard while doing yard work. This isn’t the first time I have talked to Justin, he called last year when he lost the same ring, in his house. I told him that I couldn’t use my detector in the house but I will do a visual search. After giving him some tips for a house search he found the ring. 

Our calendars allowed a Halloween search. He showed me the primary area. He was wearing gloves at the time but took them off a few times. He threw stuff into a trash can, but the trash wasn’t taken yet, in case we need to search the debris. The ring is not in the gloves. I checked the bag of grass seed that he was using, no ring. 

I turned on my detector and immediately started getting severe electronic interference. I did a noise-canceling procedure, a few times, and even did ground balancing. No luck. This just made the search a lot more difficult. I searched the whole area with no luck. I went to my truck and retrieved another detector with a much smaller coil. Still receiving the same interference. Maybe this was a testing site for nuclear bombs, or his yard is on top of an iron mine. 

The smaller coil was successful. After about 15 minutes I got a really strong 9 on the detector, pushed back the grass and there was a beautiful family heirloom. No tricks here only treats! This yellow gold ring with 3 diamonds was his father’s ring. Justin was awestruck & speechless. After a few minutes, he said he just texted a good friend saying that he thinks he is not going to see his ring again. 

I gave him some advice, when doing yard work, leave the ring in the house. He told me he was going to clean out the garage after I left, But he will not be wearing his ring. 

I love my hobby!

 

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2 Rings Lost @ Yardley Country Club in PA.

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Jordan called me a few weeks ago asking if I could help find 2 rings for him. They were lost on a golf course. Do you know how big a golf course is? He had a real good idea where they were. I was out of town for my Half Ironman race for the week. We agreed to meet today in the afternoon. 

Jordan made sure we had permission to search on the course. The Yardley Country Club is a really nice-looking club. Jordan went up to the pro and secured us a golf cart to take us out to the 14th tee box. Jordan Explained that if you walk with your clubs and use a hand cart, members will push their cart down the hill towards the 14th tee while they are putting on the 13th green. Most of the time the carts end up in the proper place. This time Jordon’s cart got to the 14th tee and flipped over. 

Jordan usually takes his rings off to play golf & puts them into his golf bag. Jordan didn’t realize they were missing until a few days later. He searched his bag & gloves with no luck. Then he remembered the mishap on the 14th tee. He went to the club a few times to look. One time he even took a rake. No luck. So he did an internet search on renting metal detectors and found me. 

The area was not that big. He believed that they can’t be too far from the cart path, one was a thin gold ring and the other is a larger platinum ring. I got started and got a signal right away, in the gold platinum range on my detector. Well, it wasn’t a ring, it was the top of a pencil, the part that holds an eraser. This club supports cheating by supplying an eraser (LOL). This little area was loaded with metal objects. I searched the area with no rings found. I told him I was going to expand the search area. 

About an hour into the search I got another good sound, it was a ring, I moved the ring and the other one was there also. The rings were thrown approximately 15 to 20 feet past the cart path. The amazing part is they stayed together. They were down in the dirt like someone stepped on them or a tire from a tractor ran over them. Jordan wasn’t looking so I put them in my hand and finished my current line. Jordan was talking to a foursome on the 13th green. I asked him if he thought that I was still in the area he thought they could be. He got out of the cart and came over to me saying yes. As he was talking I held out my hand, he didn’t see them, so I raised my hand a little higher. After about a minute he had a shocked look on his face, then a smile from ear to ear. He realized he was now out of the dog house.

I love my hobby!

 

 

 

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2 Rings Lost 20 Years Apart, 1 Found

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Janet sent me an email asking if I could help her. About 6 months ago she lost a family heirloom ring that was her grandmothers’ wedding ring while gardening. I followed up with a lot of questions: do you have an idea where you lost it? What is the ring made of? Are there any metal items in the search area? And many more. She mentioned that she lost another ring about 20 years ago, while gardening.
 
A few weeks passed as our schedules didn’t line up. I traveled to Howel Twp NJ on a very humid Sunday afternoon. Janet showed me the area where she thought she lost the ring 20 years ago, then directed me to the area she lost the most recent ring.
 
I started in the area where she thought the ring was lost 20 years ago. There are a lot of metal items in the ground here. Mostly iron objects. I searched for an hour with no luck. I will have to return for another try.
 
I moved to the second area for the most recent loss. There aren’t as many targets in this area. About 30 minutes in I got a good signal. About 2 inches deep was the ring I was looking for. Janet had just come out to check on my progress while I was digging up the target. She was amazed that I found it. She had tried using a metal detector and said it was constantly beeping. The look on her face when I handed her, her grandmother’s ring was priceless. I was surprised how deep the ring was in the ground in only 6 months. The ring was dirty so I told her to use a little toothpaste and a brush.
 
I was feeling good, so I went back to the first location to try a smaller coil to try to snipe the other ring in between all of the iron targets. I gave it an additional 30 minutes with no luck. I was hot & soaking wet. Time to rehydrate and make the 1-hour drive home.
 
Janet was very happy to have the family heirloom ring back on her hand. All cleaned and shiny!
I love my hobby!
 
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Lost Wedding Band – Lost on the South Jersey Rugby Football Field in Cherry Hill Found By Dave Milsted

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Chris sent me an email asking if I could help him. He lost his wedding band the night before while at rugby practice. I did a quick Google map search of the field, and it looked pretty barren. So I decided to walk the field before work. When I get there, the field was a solid grass carpet about 5 inches tall. It’s not going to be found by a quick walk.
 
There was a guy on the field with a human-powered push mower. I asked if his name was Chris. He looked at me with a concerned look, as I was in my work uniform, which makes me look like a police officer. He said yes, and I told him that he sent me a message that he lost a ring. There was relief on his face. He showed me the areas that he was in during practice, pretty much the whole field.
 
I told him that I wouldn’t get there until the weekend because of work and another recovery that I have today after work. He told me that his wife didn’t know he was at the practice, and he didn’t tell her that his ring was lost. They just celebrated their 4th anniversary a few days earlier.
 
I went to the beach that night to search for the other ring; I need to get into the water at low tide. There was a thunderstorm when I arrived and when the storm passed the ocean was angry. Large, powerful waves were kicking my butt. I couldn’t complete the search, so I will have to return.
I called Chris and told him that I would be at the field in an hour and 15 minutes if he wanted to meet me there. He said he couldn’t, that his inlaws were over, and he didn’t tell anyone that his ring was lost. He left the room when he saw that I was calling to answer the phone. I told him that I would spend about an hour there tonight, but it could be a several-day search because it is such a large field.
 
I knew where he placed his bag & drink. So I started there. No luck. So I started at 1 corner of the field and decided to search length-wise. I figured 1 down and back would take about an hour. There are a lot of targets. A lot of “can slaw”, cans that have been cut up by a lawnmower, leaving many aluminum pieces.
 
I got about ¾ of the way down my 1st path, and I got a good tone. I located the ring with my pinpointer. I was amazed I found it in about 30 minutes. My mom must have helped. I took a picture and sent it to Chris. He called me back about 10 minutes later, just as I was getting in my car as the skies opened up. He was in total shock. He said after he got the picture, he told his wife what happened. He said he was going to be in the dog house if I didn’t find the ring.
 
We met the next day to return the ring. Chris said he was allowed to go back to rugby practice.
 
I love my hobby!!
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Lost Ring in Bellmawr NJ While Doing Yardwork, FOUND!

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Ernie sent me an email requesting my services. Sometime this morning while doing yard work he lost his tungsten wedding ring. I had some time this evening to search.

I met Ernie at his house and he showed me what he was doing earlier. He spread a lot of mulch and rinsed his hands a few times with a hose. The yard has a lot of thick zoysia grass. 

I started my search and found a few small pieces of aluminum siding. After about 10 minutes Erie went into the house. 5 minutes later his wife pulled up as I was getting a signal. It was Ernie’s ring. I put my finger over my mouth to give the signal to be quiet. I went over to the front door and asked Ernie to come out because I had some more questions. 

I pointed to behind some bushes asking if he was back there, his ring was on my finger. It took a while for him to realize that it was there. Another awesome look on his face. We took a few pictures and he said he would chat up my services on social media. 

2nd successful recovery of the day!

I LOVE my hobby!

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Playing With A Toddler In The Backyard…

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Miranda was referred to me after posting on Facebook that she lost her rings. She contacted me 2 days ago and our calendars synced up for an early Saturday morning search. Miranda explained that she had placed her engagement ring & wedding band in her back pocket. She forgot that they were there, and started playing with her 3-year-old son in the backyard. 

The yard is a good size. She was in many spots, around the shed, sitting on the deck, and around the fort. The fort was the last stop on our tour, so that is where I began my search. 

Miranda went to move her car as I got started because she was also around her SUV in the driveway. I started to search and 3 swings in, I found both rings. They were buried deep in the grass. Less than 1 minute of searching. They couldn’t be seen without separating the blades of grass. I really thought this was going to be a very long search. I took a few pictures before she returned. 

When she came back like 3 minutes later I asked a few more questions. She was looking around the yard, as I was holding up her rings. It took a minute for her to notice them. The look on her face was priceless! She went from being depressed to being ecstatic. She couldn’t believe I had found them so fast!

I love my hobby!

 

 

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Beach Sand Almost Claims Another Ring or 3…

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Charlotte called me yesterday asking if I could find her ring. She was on the beach playing a tossing game. When she tossed she lost her ring. I had plans today but told her I could be there this morning, bright & early. She agreed.

I got to the beach at 7:30 am. It was empty & I got an excellent free parking spot! She told me she was to the right of the trash cans, so I texted her saying I was there and started to search before she got there. Within 5 minutes I had an awesome shallow tone on the detector. I scooped up the sand and had a big silver ring in my hands. 

I was very surprised that I found it before she arrived. As I was taking pictures of the ring, Charlotte arrived. I asked her what her ring looked like, as I was going to surprise her when she described it to me. She said it was a yellow gold ring with a pearl in the center. Oh, that is not the ring I found, bonus!

She showed me the area she was in when she lost her ring. The ring was her grandmother’s ring, which has a lot of sentimental value attached to it. She said she spent several hours sifting through the sand with family looking for it. She is in the area for a family reunion. She explained to me that just last week she lost another ring on a beach in Virginia, that a family friend found with a metal detector. She didn’t learn a lesson with that loss. 

I started to grid the area she sent me to. Within 5 minutes I had that special gold tone on my detector, scooped and there was her ring. She was so happy & relieved. I asked her if she learned any lessons. She said YES, I’m never wearing rings to the beach again. She had to go back & pack as they are returning home today, to Virginia. 

I stuck around to search a little more and found another silver ring. Not bad, it was a beautiful morning on the beach!!

I Love My Hobby!!

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How to Find a LOST Ring in Oaklyn NJ, Call Dave Milsted the Metal Detecting Man

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Karen emailed me earlier in the week to see if I would be able to search for a lost tungsten ring. Her fiance lost it while doing yard work a few weeks ago. I asked the usual questions, where? When? How? Any buried items? And so on…

We made arrangements for me to search Thursday after work. Of course, Mother Nature would play games and threaten with a Severe Weather Warning that afternoon. John was waiting for me. He showed me the 2 main areas of concern. He was working on removing a railing from the porch and then he was washing cars. My heart sank a little when he said while working on the porch he was throwing items into a large metal dumpster. It was pretty full with a lot of hazards. If John has my luck his ring is in the bottom of the dumpster. John also told me that the yard was cut at least once. 

I started my search around the porch. John asked if he could watch. He wanted to know about my detector, a Minelab Equinox, and I showed him how my pinpointer also worked. There were a lot of signals, most of them 2+ inches deep. I didn’t bother looking at those, as I was trying to beat the storms. 

After about 15 minutes I got a good tone, started to spread the zoysia grass apart and there was a nice looking black & gold ring. I pulled out my phone to take a picture & John was right there. He called me a “lifesaver” no pun intended. He was very happy! As we are both fully COVID vaccinated he gave me a big handshake. He said he would spread the word about my service. 

I love my hobby!

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Lost Well-Head Found By Dave Milsted in Winslow NJ

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I received a message from Gary asking if I could find a well-head. I had to ask if it was made of metal, as I don’t know anything about well-heads. He said yes, so I said yes. Then he said it was paved over with asphalt. I said I would try.
 
We met the following weekend. Gary showed me the area that he thought the well was in. It is in the parking lot of bustling strip stores. There are 12 well-heads on the property. They know where 11 of them are. I asked if he had blueprints that I could see. He didn’t, but he had an old hand-made drawing that didn’t have the additions of the new buildings. I looked at the picture and hoped that the driveway was in the same place before the new construction.
 
I started my search. Within 10 minutes, I had 2 good hits that could be what we were looking for. I went over to one of the known wells to check out the signal it gave off. It gave off 2 loud signals within 3 feet of each other, just like I found. Gary painted marks on the parking lot. Gary said that he would have one of his construction crews dig it up the following day.
 
The next day Gary sent me a picture of the well-head. He said that he wasn’t aware that a service like this was available. He works for a large construction company that is always looking for metal objects. I told him to keep my information and number, and I would be glad to help him out. He said he would be calling a lot.
 
I love my hobby!
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Snow Shoveling Temporarily Claims Another Ring in Berlin NJ

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Tiffany posted a desperate plea on the Winslow Talk Facebook page, asking if someone could help find her husband’s wedding ring. He lost it in the snow yesterday while shoveling. There were two people who referred me to help: Brian, a friend of mine, and Nicole, who has used my service in the past (a one-minute successful search http://www.metaldetectingman.me/successf…/sicklerville-nj/).
 
I made arrangements to look for the wedding band after work. It is a thin yellow gold wedding band. They have only been married for 3 months. After Korey lost the ring, he stopped shoveling. So there are about 8 inches of snow on the ground. She did mention that he heard something hit the house when he threw some snow off of the shovel.
 
That was a great piece of information. I only had to search for about 5 minutes before I uncovered the bright and shiny yellow gold ring. It was within 3 inches of the foundation for the house. Tiffany was shocked that it was found, let alone so fast.
 
I love my hobby!

 

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Bad Tuesday in the Snow, Lost Keys

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Koree was having a very bad day this past Tuesday. Eastern Pennsylvania was in the middle of a Nor’easter snow event. He also got into a fender bender and needed his vehicle towed. As he was waiting for the tow, he lost his only key for his car in 6+ inches of snow. While he waited the 3 hours for the tow service, it continued to snow at 1-2 inches per hour. Koree searched with no luck and gave up for the night. He came back to the parking lot the next day without finding his keys. That’s when he turned to the internet and found me. We made arrangements for me to search after work.
 
We met at the lot at 5 pm, it was already dark out, but the fresh snow cover provided enough light to search. I was afraid that the lot was paved and would have rebar, but it turned out to be a gravel lot. Koree showed me the area he thought he lost his keys.
 
I started detecting, getting signals frequently. This lot is along the Schuylkill River and an exercise trail. Obviously, a party area by the amount of beer bottle caps I was uncovering. There were also a lot of coins. Koree got excited at every signal I searched. He told me the dealer said it would cost $700 to replace his key and fob.
 
After 45 minutes of searching, I finally uncovered his key. He was so happy. His day just got a lot better. Due to COVID restrictions, no handshakes, fist bumps, or hugs were exchanged. Koree said he would spread the word about the Ring Finders!
 
I love my hobby!

 

 

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Lost Necklace & 3 Rings in Medford NJ Found

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I received a call from a woman earlier this week, let’s call her Zoey, asking if my detector would find rings & a necklace. Last weekend she hosted an outdoor party and lost 3 silver rings and a necklace. Her concern is that after having too much to drink, she hid them somewhere in the house. I explained my machines work great outside, but with all of the nails, wires, and pipes they can’t be used inside. If she wanted me to search inside it would be a visual search.
 
She wanted her backyard searched around the bar and firepit. I agreed to meet her on Saturday. She showed me the area that needed to be searched. It took maybe 15 minutes to search the yard with no luck.
 
I asked if there was anywhere else she wanted me to search. There was a small outbuilding that housed all of the wood for the firepit. I used my handheld detector for that search. No luck. She asked if I could search a few areas in the house. So inside we went.
 
We searched on the first floor with no luck. So we moved to the second floor. The walls had a lot of decorations, pictures, and knick-knacks. With my handheld detector, we searched the pillowcases. I asked if she wanted to search her clothes drawers. She searched them with the handheld detector. No luck. There was limited light, so I was using a flashlight. As I was looking at all of the interesting items on the wall, the light from the flashlight caused something to sparkle. It was kind of hidden by the curtain around the window. It was the necklace, hanging from a knick-knack. On the necklace were the 3 rings. SUCCESS!!
 
It looks like she removed the necklace and put the 3 rings on it, refastened it, and hung it on the wall. She was so happy that we found the jewelry. She said the day of the party she treated herself to the necklace, she said it was expensive.
 
I love my hobby!!
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Lost Stud Earring in Wilmington DE, Found in the Rain By Dave Milsted

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As I was heading home from an unsuccessful search Roderick called me about a lost yellow gold diamond stud earring. He was down I-95 in Wilmington DE. I met him about 40 minutes later. It was now raining.
 
He showed me the area of the loss. He was on a riding lawn mower when a tree branch hit the side of his head causing his earring to fall out. He placed his matching earring in a sandwich bag, so we wouldn’t lose it as I tested the readings on my metal detector.
 
I got my detector and started to search, about 30 minutes later it started to pour. I went back to my truck and got an umbrella. As soon as I got back to the search area, I got the sound & ID number on my metal detector that I wanted to get. Using my pinpointer I separated the grass and saw the side of something gold. It was his earring, It must have been stepped on while they were looking for it, as it was pushed into the mud.
 
He was so happy & thrilled! A few F-Bombs might have been dropped. He said that he searched earlier in the week with a metal detector that he bought. After he couldn’t find it he decided to call a professional. I was soaked but it was worth it.
 
I love my hobby!!
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Not The Right Ring!

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Samantha emailed me, asking if I could help find her father’s ring he lost 2 summers ago. They are getting ready to move soon. I asked her where they were located, and she said Connecticut. Hmmm, that’s kind of far, but after hearing the story, I told myself this one is for me.

 
Her dad retired from the NY City Fire Department in 1969 after 9 years on the job. He was seriously injured in the line of duty during a building collapse. He was on Truck 40. The ring he lost is the ring that the NYFD gave him upon retiring. It was his prized possession.
 
I made the 2.5-hour trek on Saturday morning. Samantha showed me a small search area. Ken was trying to clear a blocked small stream to allow the water to drain from their pond. They were on the bank when they heard the ring hit a rock and then heard a splash. They looked and raked the stream with no luck. They have looked on many different occasions.
 
I start detecting, and there is a lot of metal in the area. There is a fence-like structure on the banks under the dirt. There is also a lot of nails in the water. I searched about 30 minutes in the rain when I got a good tone high on the bank. I dig a hole, and Samantha sees gold. Samantha pulled a big gold ring out of the hole. We can’t believe we found it. I said we should surprise him.
 
I packed up my gear, and when Ken got down here, I started asking more questions. I pointed to the area where he told me the splash was. The ring was on my finger. When he saw it, I handed it to him and showed him where we found it. He didn’t show much emotion. He kept talking about a gold ring with the NYFD logo on it and a diamond in the center. This one was not that ring.
 
I asked if this was his ring and he said yes, he didn’t know that he lost this one. So I guess I’m going to continue the search. I got suited up again in hip waders and a raincoat. I looked for 2 more hours and couldn’t find the other ring. I can say with confidence that the other ring is not in this area.
 
I am disappointed that I couldn’t find the ring I came up to find. I wanted to help put a smile on the face of another first responder. But I was able to return another ring.
I love my hobby!
 
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