Jason sent me an email last week, asking if I could search for a ring his mother lost 18 years ago. It is a diamond platinum ring that belonged to his grandmother. His mom lost it while gardening. We made plans for me to drive up to the town of Middlesex today.

I met Jason & his mom, Audrey. She explained that she was gardening in the front yard, and when she went into the house, the ring was missing. She also was in the back yard shed, where she keeps all of her tools.

She is moving to Florida in a couple of weeks and would really like to have her mother’s ring back. When she lost it, it caused a lot of drama between her mom and herself. She said she had another professional detectorist search for it several years ago with no luck. My optimism faded big time.

I searched the garden and found a ton of roofing nails and foil (from potted plants). I searched the front lawn. Someone must have had holes in their pocket because the path to the driveway was loaded with coins. I searched down to the sidewalk.

Jason said, “I guess we should look in the back yard now.” I said, “let me search the strip between the sidewalk and the street.” He didn’t believe it would be there. With about 4 feet left to search in the strip, I get an excellent 8-9 on my detector. I think it is another piece of tin or foil. It is right up against the curb. About 4 inches deep, I see the beautiful ring.

I wanted to surprise them, so I pulled out my cell phone and acted like I am texting someone. But I’m taking pictures. Jason comes running down to me, asking me what I found. So I just told him that I found it. He couldn’t believe that I found it. So he picks it up and shows his mom sitting on the porch. She lets out the loudest blood curtailing scream. Her elderly neighbor 2 doors down came out of the house to make sure everything is ok.

Audrey didn’t care about social distancing. I got a big hard hug. Audrey shed a lot of tears of joy. It looks like 100 pounds of weight has been lifted off of her. I was so happy that I could find a ring that was missing for 18 years, even after another detectorist searched.

I love my Hobby!!

A note from Jason:  I contacted Dave to look for my Grandmothers wedding ring that my mom lost 18 yrs ago. He showed up and is very professional. After 1 hr of nails, screws, and bottle tabs. He was almost done with the front yard and searched a patch of grass right on the edge of the curb. Long behold he found the ring that gave my mom so much heartache for years. Thank You Dave for making her the happiest I have seen her in a long time.

Dean called me, late afternoon on May 24th, asking for help in finding a lost Chai charm, solid gold about the size of a quarter. He was down visiting his parents in Margate. He took his son and some other boys to the beach to play football. During the game, someone grabbed his son and got his gold chain, it snapped, and the charm went flying. He had the general idea of the area. I had to check with the Mrs. because it was 5 pm and we hadn’t had dinner yet.

Paul was doing some yard work in his backyard, pulling up ivy from around a shed and some trees. When he was done, his wedding ring was missing. He emptied the bags of debris he made and searched without finding the ring. His wife suggested to buy a metal detector and search for it. Paul instead searched the internet for a metal detecting guy and found me.

Paul called me today and asked if I could help him find his ring after a brief description of what happened. I told him I would be able to come over after work.

I received an email early in the morning from Mischa. He reports that he lost his wedding ring the day before while adding new mulch to his flower beds. We made arrangements for me to search after work.

I met Mischa and asked him several questions. He showed me the search area. All of the flower beds are up against a chain-link fence. I started to search with the smallest coil I have.

I searched all of the beds with no luck. I moved to another detector to search his travel paths to see if it fell off out of the beds. No luck. Mischa was thanking me for looking. I told him I wasn’t done yet.

Kim called me earlier in the week; She wanted to know if I would be able to find a small gold cross. Her son Quinn was playing football in a schoolyard field. A girl had grabbed his collar and got a hold of his chain with a gold cross on it. They have the chain, but the cross is missing. The cross was given to him from his grandparents for his First Holy Communion, very sentimental.

We met after school on Friday. Quinn showed me the area of the field he believed that he was in when the chain was broken. I didn’t think we would have any luck finding it as there is very little grass on the field. It looks well used. I was fearful that another kid found it and didn’t turn it in. Kim already contacted the janitor of the school and he didn’t find it, and no one turned it in.

I started a grid pattern. I had a lot of little friends following us around. They have hundreds of questions. Every time the detector beeped, they all would ask, “Is that it?” Quinn would get on the ground and say please, please be it. After about an hour, Quinn had to leave for lacrosse practice. I told Kim that I would let her know if I found it.

When they left, the other kids left too. I was by myself. Five to ten minutes later, I got a good tone. I looked down and could see a gold loop. I found the cross. See the 1st picture. I took a few pictures and texted them to Kim.

She called me and decided to keep it a secret. We would meet sometime on Saturday and surprise Quinn. We decided to meet at the Westmont Party Store. We would make it look like a chance meeting. We caught it on video. The look on his face when I finally told him that I found it was priceless!!

Below is a link to the video of Quinn’s reaction when he realizes that I found it:

https://youtu.be/3DQh6AlrLEA

Thomas sent me an email today asking if I could look for his lost wedding ring. He lost it this past Saturday while putting Christmas lights up. I told him I could be there after work today. Westmont is only 5 minutes from my house.

We met, and he showed me 2 areas that his tungsten ring might be. He also said that this is the second time he lost this ring, a replacement since he lost the original. His daughter found it in a river where they were tubing. The original is still missing. He searched the area with no luck. He was fearful that it was hung up in one of the branches in the bushes.

I received a call from Jeff two days ago. While out walking in Lewes Delaware, he lost his wedding ring. He was trying to flick a cigarette, and when he did, his ring went flying. We made arrangements to meet today.

Jeff & Jason took me to the area where the loss occurred. It was a 25-foot by 15-foot area. It was cold, forty degrees and very windy. The area is overgrown with a lot of thorn bushes. Jeff had already searched the area. I fear that the ring may have been stepped on.

This search was not easy. The thorns were big and plentiful. I had to use a small coil on my metal detector. The long grass and vines on the ground kept entangling my detector. After 2 hours, I was discouraged. I recommended Jeff to come back at night with a flashlight and shine it into the 8-foot high sticker bushes. Maybe the ring got caught in one of the branches. Hopefully, the ring will shine in the light.

I gave it one more search in an area that was difficult to search. I got the tone I was waiting to hear. I moved away the thorn branches, long grass, and vines, there it was. It was partially buried in the ground.

We were all amazed that the ring was found. We had all given up hope. Hugs & handshakes were given. Now it was time to get warm! Another happy client!

Jessica called to ask if I could locate her husbands lost wedding ring. He had been playing ball with their dog in the back yard.

I agreed to search a few days after her call. I would be looking for a large silver tungsten ring.

I arrived at the location and was met by Jessica’s daughter. She showed me the back yard and the approximate area that her dad was standing and the direction he threw the ball.

Calvin called on Tuesday asking for help in finding his girlfriends lost Mothers ring. He had given to her a few month ago, 14k white gold with 2 red and 1 yellow stone. She lost it after falling into a lake 2 days prior.

We agreed to meet Friday evening after my class. I beat Calvin to the spot and were met by Jessica’s stepmom and dad. They showed me the area that Jessica fell into the lake.

I started my search. It didn’t take long before I had the ring in my scoop, 10 minutes of detecting is all it took. Calvin wasn’t there yet. I continued to search the lake until Calvin arrived.

Calvin came up to introduce himself and tell me that I was searching in the wrong area. He held out his hand to shake mine. In my hand was Jessica’s ring.

The look on his face was priceless when he realized that the ring was in both of our hands as we shook. He finally said no way! before he took his hand away to look.

He was so happy. He said that Jessica doesn’t know that he called me, and thinks he is working a side job. He wasn’t sure how he was going to give it to her. They had borrowed a detector to search earlier in the week with no luck.

I love my hobby!!

This story starts 47 years ago when a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Nursing program loses her graduation ring in the ocean in Stone Harbor. She has never forgotten that day.

5 months ago her best friend gave her a gold necklace to melt down to make a new ring. The ring was made and worn every day since.

This week the ring was loose on her finger so she put it in her coat pocket. When she got home she shook dog hair from her coat and heard the ring hit the cement. Her yard is yellow with zoysia grass. The yellow gold ring was lost. Her husband spent 2 days on his hands and knees looking through the thick grass with no luck.

He searched the internet and found me. My wife and I went to their house the next day. They told me their story and I went to work. I searched the area that they pointed me to. No luck. I moved to the other side of the sidewalk and bingo.

10 minutes of search time. The ring is back on her finger. She will be going back to the jeweler to have it resized. My wife made a new friend. She did not want her picture taken.

I received a call early this week from Jeanette (in June). She lost her wedding bands at Long Island Beach the previous week. Someone has already searched without success.

I told her that I would search for her, but I couldn’t get there till Saturday to do a demanding work schedule. They will not be at the shore; they will be home in NY State. I’m not confident about this hunt, due to the time since lost and someone else using a detector to look before me.

I packed my truck up Friday night so I can be ready to go at 4:30 am. I want to beat the shore traffic and search the sand with a few people on the beach as possible. I also pack rain gear because the forecast is for 100% chance of rain for the search time.