Dave Milsted, Author at The Ring Finders

Lost Ring Under a Boat Dock in Brigatine NJ, Found by Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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Saturday evening, I received a call from Dino. He explained that his daughter lost her wedding ring in Brigatine Bay. She was distraught and depressed. His heart is hurting for her. I asked the usual questions: Does she have an idea where? What was she doing? What is the ring made of? His answers were under a boat dock, sitting in a chair, putting on sunscreen. 

He said his daughter Nadine would be calling me. A short time later, Nadine did call. I had a few more questions for her. How deep is the water at high tide and low tide? She said at low tide, waist to chest deep. She had taken off her ring to put on sunscreen, securing the ring in the side pocket of the chair. When she went to put the ring back on, she found the pocket had a hole in it. No ring was to be found. The dock, made of wooden boards, has significant gaps between the boards. They didn’t hear the ring hit the boards or plop into the water. I told her I would be down the next morning before low tide. 

Not knowing what the hunt was going to require, I packed chest waders, a wetsuit, 3 detectors, my long-handled scoop, and a 6-foot pole to determine how deep the water was. I met Nadine and her family at the location. They showed me the area and what she did. I had asked her the night before to mark the spot where her chair was, and there was an “X” marks the spot on the deck. I placed my bag of goodies on the X. I climbed down the ladder with my pole to measure the water. It was about 2.5 feet deep. Luck was on my side; I had dreams of the water being up to my neck. 

My choice of weapons was chest waders, my long-handled scoop, and my Nokita Legend detector. I got dressed and entered the water. Less than 1 minute in, I got my 1st signal, I scooped up the sand, and there was Nadine’s ring. It took me longer to put on my waders than it did to find her ring. 

I pulled it out of the scoop and showed it to her husband. He was in shock. He couldn’t believe that I found it, let alone in under a minute. Then Nadine saw it, and her mother screamed. The looks on their faces were priceless. Her mom says she works at a local restaurant, and she is going to tell everyone what I do and how professional I was. I gave them a refrigerator magnet to keep my information handy!

I Love My Hobby!!

 

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Long Distance Recovery, by Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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Allisa called me last week with a unique request. She had lost two rings on her four-acre property and wondered if I could help find them with my metal detector. She had already recovered her engagement ring but was desperate to locate her missing wedding band. Another detectorist had quoted her $250 per hour, but I don’t charge for these searches; I work on a reward basis. The catch? Her property was a three-hour drive away.

She explained that in a moment of frustration, she had thrown both her wedding band and engagement ring. The engagement ring was found, but the yellow gold wedding band, adorned with many diamonds, was still missing. She and her husband had searched extensively, even weed-whacking and raking the area, but to no avail.

I initially offered to drive up on Sunday, but Allisa hesitated, concerned about the distance. Instead, I suggested a simple trick she could try that very night. I told her to go out to the area after dark with a powerful flashlight and scan the area where she had found her engagement ring. I emphasized the importance of doing it before any rain or dew settled on the grass. She agreed to give it a try.

The next day, I received an ecstatic text message. Within ten minutes of following my instructions, Allisa had found her wedding band! She was overjoyed, and honestly, it made my day too.

I Love My Hobby!!

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Lost Ring in Haddon Twp NJ Found by Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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Eric reached out to me via email. He’d been in a rush to take down his Christmas decorations before an incoming snowstorm and, in the process, had lost his yellow gold wedding ring. We arranged to meet after his workday ended.

Upon arrival, Eric showed me the area where he’d been working. The search area, blanketed by about three inches of snow, wasn’t very large. He mentioned he needed to pick up his daughter from school but would return in about ten minutes.

As soon as Eric and his wife left, I began my search. Just a minute later, my detector gave a strong signal in the gold range. I brushed away the snow, and there it was—Eric’s gleaming yellow-gold wedding ring. I snapped a few photos and waited for their return.

When I saw them approaching, I pretended to still be searching. Eric’s wife got out of the car first, and I quietly asked her to wait a moment. Eric followed and said, “I guess you haven’t had any luck.” I asked if he recalled shaking his hands or doing anything that might have flung the ring beyond the immediate area. He didn’t. While he scanned the lawn, I revealed the ring from my gloved hand. His wife noticed first, and her surprised smile was wonderful to see. Eric’s reaction was even better.

They were both overjoyed. His wife was particularly thrilled, exclaiming, “This is great! Now I can finally get that dining room carpet and not have to buy him a new ring!”

I love my hobby!

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How I helped Joe find his lost keys in Laurel Springs NJ

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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Last night around 9:30, I received a text message from Joe, who had been referred to me by my nephew, Jason. Joe wanted to know if I could help find his lost keys. He’d spent the entire day clearing a lot and splitting wood, only to discover he couldn’t locate his keys when it was time to leave. Luckily, he had a spare set delivered, so there was no rush. We agreed to meet the next morning around 10.

I arrived early, greeted by a steady drizzle. Prepared with my rain gear, I suited up and headed to the area where the wood was piled. Hoping to spot the key fob in the daylight, I carefully walked around the piles, but no luck. Realizing I’d need my detector, I went back to my SUV to grab it.

I began searching an area where the tall grass was matted down, marked by splinters of wood from splitting. Just two minutes in, my detector gave a strong tone. I moved some grass and leaves aside—and there they were: Joe’s keys. He hadn’t arrived yet, so he missed the quick find.

I returned to my SUV and waited for him to show up. When Joe arrived, he took me to the spot where he’d spent most of his day. We were just three feet from where I’d found the keys. As he described his activities and scanned the ground, I pulled the keys from my pocket and asked, “Do your keys look like this?”

At first, he looked puzzled, then recognition dawned. “Yes!” he said, clearly amazed. The moment he realized they were his keys was priceless—a mix of shock and relief.

It had only taken about five minutes of walking and searching to locate the keys. Without a detector, though, Joe never would’ve found them. They were pressed into the mud and hidden beneath leaves.

As a bonus, I now have access to some firewood for my fire pit—a small token of appreciation.

I Love My Hobby!

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Yardwork & Christmas Lights Equals Lost Ring in Cinnaminson NJ. Found by Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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Sara called me, asking for help to find her husband’s gold wedding ring. She found me on the Ring Finder’s website. He had spent the entire day working in the yard—cleaning out the gutters, raking leaves, and putting up Christmas lights. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t locate the ring. With only about an hour of daylight left, I headed over to assist.

When I arrived, Devon was still searching for the ring. There was a massive pile of leaves at the curb, scheduled for pickup that week, so I began my search there. Unfortunately, I had no luck.

Next, we moved to the flower beds under the gutter. I received a strong signal under a small bush. Despite not seeing the ring on the ground, the signal was promising. Using my pinpointer, I discovered the signal was coming from within the bush.

It turned out that when the ring slipped off Devon’s hand, it landed in the bush and got hooked on one of the branches. The ring, a beautiful yellow-gold piece, held significant sentimental value as it belonged to Devon’s great-grandfather.

I love my hobby!

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Lost Keys in the Snow

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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I received an email from Sheila describing how she lost her shed keys while shoveling snow after the last storm. They were in her jacket pocket, and when she was finished, they were gone. We set up an appointment after she left work at 7 pm.
Luckily, it was a small search area, as it was the coldest night of the year, 23 degrees. She showed me the area that she thought they would be in, so I started my search. About 15 mins and 21 cents later, no keys were found. I had to ask Sheila to move her car; because it was at the edge of the search area, and my detector was sounding off to the car.
5 minutes later, I had her keys. They were buried in a pile of snow & ice that was under the rear of where she had parked her car. She was so happy. She needs access to her shed as another snowstorm is coming in a few days.
I Love My Hobby!!
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Ringing In The New Year 2024, By Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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I am not using the real names of this couple. I will call them Betty & Barney Rubble. Barney called me to see if I could help find some lost jewelry. He was referred to me by Fellow Ring Finder/Treasure Hunter Ed Cropski (he was out of town for the weekend). I work with a core group of excellent detectorists with much experience. If one of us gets a call and can’t make it, we give it to someone in our group.
Barney said his wife got very angry and walked out the back door to their deck, and Bam-Bam threw 2 silver bracelets, a gold wedding ring, and a gold engagement ring. Doing his own reconnaissance, he found 1 of the bracelets. I was near the neighbor’s fence beside a pile of wood rubble, reminding me of a gravel pit. The other 3 items are still missing.
Betty was out on their deck in the area where she was when she threw her jewelry. She looked very sad. After reviewing the angle of where Barney found the first bracelet and the scene, I told Barney that gold rings would travel farther than the lighter bracelet. I asked if his neighbors were okay with me searching their backyard. He said yes that he contacted them after our phone call. Betty went inside.
I started searching the neighbor’s yard. There were a lot of signals. There is a newer deck, and I was finding a ton of wood screws that are used in deck building. After about 12 minutes of searching, I started to look under the deck. I almost immediately found the engagement ring. It was under the deck. From where Betty threw the jewelry and the angle of where the ring was, it had to go through the open-backed stairs from the ground to the deck; if I threw it, it would have bounced off one of the steps. Lucky throw.
I intensified my search under the deck. It took another minute or two to find the missing bracelet. At this point, Barney had no idea I found either item. I asked him if he could hold my pinponter. He came over, and I held out my hand and dropped the engagement ring & bracelet into his hand. The look in his eyes was priceless.
I asked Barney if he would search on the deck for the other ring while I searched on the ground. I didn’t feel right searching up there with all of the windows. The neighbors know Barney, not me.
About 5 minutes went by, and Barney was standing next to me. He held out his hand that held the missing ring. My hunch paid off; it was laying on some covered furniture on the deck. He enjoyed the thrill of making the discovery.
Betty came out on their deck as I talked to Barney in the driveway. I told her to come down & get her jewelry. She was grinning from ear to ear. Barney and Betty are happy once again in Bedrock.
I love my hobby!!
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Lost Ring @ Basketball Court in Westampton NJ Found by Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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I woke up to an email from Rickey. It said that he lost his wedding ring on Sunday while playing basketball. I wrote back, and he called me. We set up to do a search later that day after work. 

We met at the courts, and he explained that he put his phone under his mother’s chair and put his ring on top of the phone. This was in the grass, which was 4 -5 inches long and thick. The ring is black & silver titanium. He said his 2-year-old son picked up the phone to give it to his daddy. He said he spent about 4 hours looking for it but was giving up hope that it would be found. 

He showed me the area that he thought his mom’s chair was in. I said I would start searching a little farther away and work my way to where he thought it was. Being around a basketball court, there were a lot of metal objects in the area. I was looking for a surface sound. I could tell there were a lot of coins, bottle caps & pull tabs around. I will go back another time to clean out the coins. 

It only took about 10 minutes for me to get the sound I was looking for. I bent down and spread the grass to see his ring. I picked it up and showed him. The look on his face was priceless. He told me he had been in the dog house since losing the ring. Hopefully, this will make things better. 

I love my hobby!!

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Lost Wedding Ring Lost at Pennsauken Country Club Found by Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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 I just wanted to thank you again for finding my ring. It made my wife and I so happy! Here is a little paragraph about Rachel and I and that day….
    I have been happily married to my high school sweetheart, Rachel, for 11 years and we have been together for over 22 years. She is amazing and wonderful and I am truly happy to have her in my life. She is also always right lol. Everytime I play golf, she tells me to leave my wedding ring at home. Of course, I never listen and that is how I found myself in this predicament. Whenever I golf, I take my wedding ring off and put it in my wallet. The wallet then goes into my golf bag and I carry on. I have never had an issue until last Thursday. I was playing at Pennsauken Country Club with my cousin Dru and then, as my wife had repeatedly warned me about, I lost my wedding ring. I noticed that it was gone when I arrived next to the 17th green. I retraced my steps and realized it must have fallen out of my wallet on the 17th tee box when I paid for some beers from the beer cart. My heart dropped. I couldn’t believe this happened. I didn’t think there was any way I was going to get it back. After the round, I went back to the tee box and looked around frantically but had no luck. A couple of groups teeing off, stopped and tried to help me. One of the guys told me to reach out to metal detector groups and they might be able to help me. I never would have thought of that and I am so glad that he placed that suggestion into my head. Flash forward a few days later, and I Googled, “I lost my wedding ring on a golf course.” After a couple of clicks, I came across Dave. I reached out and I am so glad that I did. We went back to Pennsauken Country Club a week after I had lost it and after 20 or so minutes he found my wedding ring halfway in the ground right near the 17th tee box. I was overjoyed. I am still overjoyed. My wife is beyond happy and I cannot thank him enough! He is a lifesaver and I will never forget what he did for me.

 

While out on a 911 call (I am a paramedic), John left me a message about his lost wedding ring. When I had a few minutes, I gave John a callback. He said while he was playing golf at the Pennsauken Country Club, he had placed his wedding ring in his wallet. He secured his wallet in his golf bag. With the heat, the cart girl stopped, and he retrieved his wallet to buy some beers for his group at the 17th tee box. When he got to the 18th hole, he looked in his wallet, and the ring was gone. 

His group went back to the 17th tee box but couldn’t find it. Another foursome also assisted in the search. No luck. One of the guys said you should call someone with a metal detector. John went home a googled lost ring. He found me on the Ring Finders site. We chatted about what happened. He had already called the golf course, and they gave him permission to have me search as long as I didn’t dig any holes. We set up a search date of Thursday evening. 

We both arrived at about the same time. We went into the clubhouse to let them know we were there to search. We guaranteed them there would be no digging. They let us use a golf cart to get to the location he suspected it was lost. It looked freshly cut, and it was close to the ground. There were a few thick areas of grass. He showed me the area the refreshment cart was. I started there.

In the area, the cart was also 3 electrical boxes. That means underground wires. OH NO. I definitely found a lot of underground items. I worked my way toward the area where John’s cart was parked that day. After about 15 – 20 mins of searches, I got a solid tone and number in the area that a 14-karat white gold ring would be. I bent down and spread the grass to reveal what was there; in there was John’s ring. 

John was dumbfounded. He thought he would never see it again. He was just going through the motions so he could be at peace knowing he did everything. He gave me at least a half a dozen bro hugs. He said he felt so high right now that he was afraid to drive home. So we called his wife from the spot the ring was found. She could believe it was found either. After the call, we dropped off the golf cart and went into the clubhouse to let them know we found it. The guy had a very surprised look on his face. 

We then walked to the parking lot. He still didn’t feel safe to drive. So he called his cousin, that was golfing with him on that fateful day. He was amazed also. John still wasn’t ready to drive, so he gave me another hug and said he was going to go to his car and call his dad. 

I love my hobby!!! 

 

 

 

 

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Lost Earring in Maple Shade Found by Dave Milsted

  • from South Jersey (New Jersey, United States)
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They used to call me MacGyver, and I earned that title today.
I received a text message late yesterday asking if I could search for a lost earring. The only problem is it was in a car. I told them that a metal detector would be useless in a car. It would be a visual search. They were okay with that, and we scheduled a visit for late afternoon today.
I arrived, and he showed me the car. He turned the car on for our search because the temperature was over 90 degrees. I brought my snake video camera unit. An excellent tool for searches in tight areas. They are 100% positive that it is in the car. His wife was a front-seat passenger and had her earring on her lap. They hit a bump, and it fell between the seat and the center console.
I started searching in the typical places it would have gone. No luck. There are 2 openings in the carpet under the seat. The 1st hole was not hiding a secret. After about an hour, I started to search the 2nd hole, which was some kind of vent. I searched in there, and there it was. Not easy to get as it was around a bend. This was not going to be easy to remove.
I tried a very long skinny 10-inch screwdriver. It wasn’t long enough. A portable vacuum wouldn’t work, either. Putting on my MacGyver hat. I have a couple of marking flags with 24-inch bendable, narrow stems. I took needle nose pliers and bent the end into a hook. While watching on the camera, I fished the hook to the earring. I was able to snag it after a few attempts. I slowly pulled it to the opening, and it fell down under the vent. More searching with the camera and we saw it again. This time I was able to get my fingers on it and remove it from under the seat.
They were so happy to get it back. This one was a challenge, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love my hobby!!
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