The Ring Finders Blog

LOST GOLD HEIRLOOM CLASS RING IN DURHAM, NC…..FOUND!!!

  • from Raleigh (North Carolina, United States)
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I received a text from a young man at Duke University. He stated he lost a family heirloom class ring. I told him I’d come out tonight and see if I could find it.

I get there and get the story. He was playing frisbee and threw it awkwardly when he felt the ring fly off but didn’t see where it landed.

I start my search and in about 20 mins I found the lost ring in the area of about where he felt it had to have landed. It was found based on the information provided.

I asked him if he could share the history of the ring.

This is a short story of the ring:

“The ring was from my great uncle’s high school graduation in 1953. He later became an army officer and passed away from his service before I was born (I was named after him).

It was then given to my uncle, who passed away, then to my dad who gave it to my sister, who passed it to me. It’s now been in our family for 73 years.”

I was so glad this one was found and returned! All ring recoveries are important, but the sentimental and heriloom ones are the most rewarding.

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Total ring recoveries since joining “The Ring Finders” 107 total!

Ring count for 2026: 12 (12 – recoveries)

GOLD – 12 (12 – recoveries)

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“DIG IT ALL, SAVE SOME RINGS, BURY THE DRAMA!”

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TheRingFinders.com – Brad Trogdon locates survey (property) markers preventing significant fees.

  • from Winston-Salem (North Carolina, United States)
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On Wednesday observed on a local social media post someone asking, “does anyone have a metal detector in the area” with no additional details.  I responded that I did and asked how I may assist.  The author responded introducing himself as Corey and said he needed to locate property line markers.  He also advised his neighbor had recently had a survey company locate theirs at a significant cost.  I advised that I was out of county but available Friday. We arranged to meet around 8:30 Friday morning.

Prior to Friday I researched the address on the local Tax GIS and register of deeds to obtain plat details and Property details. I quickly learned of the acreage involved and that over a dozen corners were possibly in play.

Arrived Friday morning and Corey detailed he was replacing a fence and only needed to locate four markers along the driveway and one was already found.  The exposed marker was what is referred to as a PK Nail.  It was driven into the drive way edge and he had painted so it was very visible.  Next closest marker labeled on plat map as EIP (Existing Iron Pipe)  This was  little difficult as metal detecting we found two short pieces (total of 6 Inches together) that appeared to be from the iron Pipe marker.  We measured from the PK Nail and its placement appeared to be under where a brick column stood. 🙁  Moved on to locate the EIP (Existing Iron Pipe) that marked property line at the road right-of-way  ~600 yards west from PK Nail.   Was able to quickly locate the Iron Pipe and a PK Nail inches away (Pictured).  Assume this PK Nail was placed by other than the original survey.  Forth and final property marker was marked as DH (Drilled Hole) on plat map along a stream.  Deed detailed that this marker was an Iron Pipe placed in the center of “unnamed stream”.  This was ~600 yards to the east of our initial PK Nail.  Drove to the stream and as walking up Corey said  “I know what that spot is now”  pointing to a 24″ concrete tile that had a hole drilled with an orange cap placed inside the hole. (Pictured)  Yes!  this I am sure was placed by surveys in modern times after the tiles were placed to create ability to drive across stream.

Successful morning!  This assignment was a welcomed challenge although not recovering precious ring or jewelry it illustrates how  TheRingFinders.com was able to assist resulting in preventing significant fees.

Thank you Corey for allowing me to assist you in this hunt.

  

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Car Keys and Wallet lost on beach, Asbury Park NJ, recovered by Edward Trapper, NJ Ring Finder

  • from Lavallette (New Jersey, United States)
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Find lost keys on beachMetal detector rental

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TN Ring Finder Travels to Mississippi to Recover Sentimental Jewelry Lost in Devastating House Fire

  • from Nashville (Tennessee, United States)
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I received a text from Anita on April 4th. She explained that the home that she hand her late husband built 22 years ago in Holly Springs, MS burned down in December. Sadly, the home was a total loss, with the fire consuming almost everything imaginable. Anita, with the help of some family members scoured the burned out remains and were able to salvage several items of jewelry, sterling flatware and other items that didn’t burn or melt. There was one ring in particular that Anita couldn’t find, which was a gift from her father to her mother on her parent’s 25th wedding anniversary. Anita had very little hope that ring that her mother once wore daily, and she too wore every day since her mother passed away would be found in the scattered burned out rubble of what used to be her beautiful home. I was her last hope. We agreed that I would make the almost four hour drive on April 14th and search for up to three days. Anita put me up in a cottage at a beautiful golf course, which was awesome and greatly appreciated.

It was hard work, shoveling, sifting and lifting sections of charred structure to get to areas of the house where Anita believed her most-sentimental and valuable jewelry could be. In less than one hour I was finding rings, some gold and some platinum, but still not THE ring. About four hours into my search I found THE ring. I took a pic and sent it to Anita. She was beyond relieved and said she was content with the results of my search, but I couldn’t stop there. I knew I could find more. I worked another four hours that day and another five hours the following day. With so much work to be done, I stopped counting after thirty rings, along with some gold chains and bracelets, many of which had also been passed down from Anita’s mother and mother-in-law. Before I left, I met one of Anita’s daughters and she was hoping I could look for some of her jewelry that was lost in the fire. I was able to locate one of the jewelry boxes that was full of jewelry, with a few of the rings being ones passed down from her grandmother.

Anita cried tears of joy as we looked over all of the recovered items. I wish I could have found every piece of missing jewelry and sterling flatware, but I am comfortable knowing that the most important items to Anita were re-united with her, so she can one day pass them down to her daughters. I was blessed by being able to help such a wonderful lady in her time of need. Now Anita can start the long process of having the lot cleared and new house being

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Rose Gold Wedding Ring Lost for Over One Year Found with a Metal Detector

  • from Nashville (Tennessee, United States)
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Ryan called me on April 16th and said he had lost his rose gold wedding band the back yard of his Antioch, TN home twelve to eighteen months ago. He was confident it was in a 10’x15’ area of his backyard. He had bought a metal detector and found it was a huge waste of his time. I was in Mississippi on another RingFinder detail, but I assured Ryan that I would help him out when I got back to TN.

I called Ryan on April 17th when I was back in TN and he was ready for me to look for his ring. I first detected the area where Ryan expected his ring to be, but only found a few pennies, a dime and some small foil pieces. I expanded the search area and sixteen minutes into the search I got another signal that I expected to be another penny. About 1/2” to 1” deep was Ryan’s ring. I dusted it off and it looked as good as new. Ryan appreciated my detailed grid search and forensic approach to locating his ring. He admitted that he was a little nervous when he saw that I had to expand the search area. Thank you Ryan for trusting me to find your lost ring.

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Gold and Sterling Silver Bracelet Lost In York Harbor Beach Maine, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
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I received the following text message, on Tuesday April 14th,

“Hi Dennis. My name is Michele and I’ve recently lost a bracelet that I’m 99% certain I lost doing yard work two weeks ago. I lost another one a few years ago which probably is really lost. I live in York Harbor. I was wondering when and if you have any time to help me possibly locate it.
Thank you!”

I replied: “Hi Michele, So sorry to hear this. I should be able to search for it this week. I am actually on the road at the moment. May I call you this afternoon, when I arrive home?”Michele replied: “Absolutely! Call me on this number anytime. I’m gonna be working in the yard again and my reception isn’t very good but if I see you called, I’ll call you back.”

I replied: “Perfect. Whatever you do in the yard, do not dispose of anything.” Michele replied: “Got it!”
I always tell my clients that if they lose something, while doing yard work, they should not mow the lawn, bag up and throw away grass clippings, leaves, etc.. Your item just may be in the bag and it will be gone forever, once it is picked up and taken away. We can always search the grass, leaves, etc., before they end up at the dump.

Once I arrived home, I called Michele. Michele told me that two weeks earlier, she had been cleaning up her property, in York Harbor, Maine. Michele was trimming back some Hydrangea’s that run along multiple stone walls, on her property. She was then burning the clippings, in a burn pit, near their compost. She had also walked the property picking up small branches to burn and feeding the ducks, at her small pond. Later that evening, Michele noticed her Sterling Silver Bracelet, with Gold accent trimming was not on her wrist. The bracelet was a very sentimental bracelet, as she bought the bracelet and another exact bracelet, for her daughter. They always wore them and Michele desperately would like to find it. She has been walking the property for two weeks and had not been able to locate it. When I asked her if she had turned any soil up or put new soil or bark mulch down, she replied that she had not done that but it was possible the bracelet was kicked or stepped on and ended up below the bark mulch, under leaves or in the hydrangea plants. Michele and I agreed to meet at 8:00am, Thursday April 16th to search. Michele then sent me a short video of the areas she thought the bracelet could have been lost. Once I saw the video I knew it wouldn’t be long to search the area. The entire area had short grass and was very well manicured, a very big plus, for searching.

Once I arrived at her York, Maine property, Michele immediately met me and pointed out the areas, that needed to be searched. Michele also showed me a bracelet that was very, very close as the one lost. I put it on the grass and set my detector up with it. The bracelet rang out very loudly, and was definitely Sterling Silver, for the most part. The gold trim was being masked but the much more conductive sterling silver. The grass was even shorter and more well groomed, than the video had shown me. This would not take long to search because I knew a bracelet that size would not be hidden in the grass, just wasn’t tall enough, after all the snow had packed it down, all winter. We started the search of the mulch, along the stone wall that was closest to us. The bark mulch was also matted down from a long hard winter. The hydrangea’s had some leaves at the roots and I searched those with my pinpointer. One rock wall down and no bracelet. We then went to the next closest rock wall. This one ran up to the burn pit and compost area and also mad a few hydrangea’s. Same result along this wall and plants, the bracelet was still missing. I then moved a large wreath so I could search the burn pit, before moving to the compost. Once the wreath was out of the way, I swung the detectors coil over the burn pit and almost immediately I received a very loud target. It was reading 84, on my TDI (Target ID). This is a highly conductive metal and the same reading that Michele’s other bracelet rang up as. I told Michele that this was a very good target but I couldn’t see anything, in the burn pit. Michele then yells out, “THERE IT IS, I SEE IT.” I then stepped up, bent over and I saw the outline of a very dirty, bracelet that had soot all over it. Michele’s bracelet has been found but it had been burnt, while Michele was burning twigs and stuff, two weeks earlier. AMAZING!!! I pick the bracelet up and passed it to a very happy Michele, wiping away happy tears. The bracelet looked sooty and dirty but didn’t look disfigured. Michele and I agreed that a jeweler would be able to clean this up pretty good and repair any damage that we couldn’t see. Extremely fortunate the bracelet wasn’t severely damaged. Michele said she would most likely take it to Springer’s Jewelers , in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and see what they could do, to get the bracelet looking new again. Michele was still wiping away tears and couldn’t wait to tell her daughter that the bracelet had been found.

So, another bracelet, back on the wrist (well, it will be shortly) and more smiles, happy tears and hugs. We have the best job, in the world. I love my job.❤️🙏

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Lost White Gold and Diamonds Wedding Band at Aulani Beach Ko Olina Resort…FOUND!!!

  • from O‘ahu (Hawaii, United States)
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This Ring find began when I got a text from Stanley who was on vacation from Irvine, California and staying at the Aulani Resort.  He texted, “Hello my friend.  I need your service. I lost me ring at the Aulani hotel.”  I immediately called and Stanley told me he was standing in 3 feet of water and “It just slide off!”  He was leaving the next morning so I agreed to come first light and hopefully find his ring before they had to depart for the airport.  The pics Stanley provided gave me excellent info to create a grid search.  Facing the lagoon I worked from right to left.  About 5 minutes into the search coming down the wet sand slope I got a booming 49-50 on the Manticore and on the second scoop there was Stanley’ stunning ring in the scoop.  I ran back to my car to call Stanley and give him the good news.  We met on Aulani’s boardwalk for the return.  Thank you Brother! was his response and he was obviously relieved to be going home with his ring on his finger.  Thank you Jesus for the perfect timing!

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Lost Ring Found in Hammond, Louisiana Yard – Persistence Pays Off

  • from New Orleans (Louisiana, United States)
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This week I got a call from a homeowner in Hammond, Louisiana who had lost a ring somewhere in her yard. She had already brought out another member from TheRingFinders, but unfortunately, the ring still hadn’t been found.

When I arrived, the first thing I did was ask her to walk me through exactly where the previous search had taken place. She showed me the area, and I decided to re-check it myself just to be sure. After covering that section thoroughly with my detector and turning up nothing, I felt confident eliminating that area entirely.

That’s actually a big advantage in these recoveries, once an area has been properly searched (especially twice), you can shift your focus and start thinking differently about where the ring could be.

I expanded the search, working left and right into adjacent areas of the yard, but still no signal. At that point, I decided to take a long shot.

There was a trampoline in the yard, and I moved to the opposite side which was much farther out than the homeowner thought the ring could have traveled. Using my orange flag marking technique, I began systematically grid-searching the area to eliminate ground efficiently and avoid overlap.

Sure enough… a solid signal.

Just like that, the ring was sitting in the grass on the far side of the trampoline which was well outside the originally searched zone.

Another successful recovery in Louisiana, and another reminder that these items often end up farther than expected.

If you’ve lost a ring or valuable item, don’t assume it’s gone, sometimes it just takes a different approach and a little persistence to bring it back.

 

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White Gold Diamond Wedding Ring Lost in the Dry Sand, Found and Returned Litchfield Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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Shortly before 5 p.m. on April 15, 2026, I received a phone call from Amy saying she lost her ring. She described the Wedding Ring, and I told her I could be there in about 55 minutes to an hour. Enroute, I called her to get more details on how and where she lost it. She explained that she had put her ring in the cup holder of her chair so she could apply suntan lotion. When she packed up to leave the beach, she forgot the ring. She said that she didn’t realize it was missing until she got back to her Condo. As I’m driving, she sent me a text asking, “Do you think we can find it?” I responded, “Yes, if you put me in the right area, we’ll find it!”

When I arrived at the gated resort, I had to get Amy on the phone so the gate guard would let me enter. I kept Amy on the phone, and she steered me to where she was waiting. We walked out on the beach, and she showed me a group of sticks stuck in the sand showing about where she had been sitting. Unfortunately, there was a couple just a few feet away and basically sitting in the search area. Amy must have told the couple what was going on, so they were happy to leave. Amy also mentioned that the ring could have fallen out of the cup holder on her way to the access. I started an east/west grid search about where Amy had put the sticks and worked my way out on all sides. Since Amy told me her ring was white gold, I knew the VDI (visual display indicator) was going to be in the 9 to 11 range, or there about. As I moved closer to the access point, I got a solid 11 on the VDI. I looked down and saw a little edge of what appeared to be a white gold piece of metal. I reached down and pulled out Amy’s beautiful ring. She was standing about 20 feet away, near where she had me start, when I held her ring up. She couldn’t believe it was found and just stood there. I think she said, “Is that my ring?” It took her about 2 seconds to close the distance and retrieve her ring. What a smile I got. It’s moments like this that make it all worthwhile!

Amy – Thank you for calling me and allowing me to help find your lost treasure. All the best to you!

Jim

 

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Kirkwood, Missouri Lost Platinum Ring

  • from St. Louis (Missouri, United States)
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I was unloading bags of mulch from my truck bed. When I was taking a couple bags off my hand slipped and my wedding ring went flying. I didn’t see it flying in the air but heard it hit the deck to the side of the garage which has stairs that down one level. I could not tell if it was on top of the deck or side of the deck that the ring hit. But a heard a thud type sound and then the ring was gone. I looked around and could not see anything. I also borrowed a friend’s metal detector and could not find it. Jeremy came out and found it so fast I couldn’t believe it. Thank you so much!

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