In The News
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This Treasure Hunter Has Returned Hundreds Of Wedding Rings - Tamron Hall Show
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Actor Jon Cryer loses, then finds wedding ring in pouring rain on Vancouver seawall - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in Vancouver Sun
See more Jon Cryer articles…
- Actor Jon Cryer finds lost wedding ring thanks to Vancouver jewelry sleuth on CBC News
- Why The Loss of a Wedding Ring Can Be a Heartbreaker on nextavenue
- What Has Jon Cryer Been Up To Since 'Two And A Half Men'? on TheThings
- 'The Ring Finders' rescue Jon Cryer's wedding ring on CBS8
- Look: 'Ring Finders' Find Jon Cryer's Lost Ring on Y98
- Jon Cryer of 'Two and a Half Men' fame turns to B.C. ring-finder to search for lost wedding band on iNFO News
- Jon Cryer's Wife Jokes that the Man Who Found His Wedding Ring 'May Have Saved a Marriage' on People
- Ring finders make people smile on Star Advertiser
- Ator de comédias românticas clássicas dos anos 1980 viraliza ao revelar como perdeu e encontrou aliança de casamento (Portuguese) on Monet
- JON CRYER zažil situáciu hodnú smoliara Alana z Dva a pol chlapa: Neuveríte, čo sa mu stalo (Slovak) on Život
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Estate Search turns up 90 lbs of silver coins ($20,000+) - The Ring Finders member Mike McInroe
The Ring Finders' Chris Turner & Mike McInroe
Estate search that produced 90 lbs of silver coins ($20,000+)
I created The Ring Finders Directory to help the public find a Metal Detecting Specialist to help assist them in finding their lost wedding rings.
Our directory has opened doors to other searches that our members are experiencing...House & Property Searches
There are many reasons why people hide their valuables... I have many years of experience in these kind of searches that I will share with members who need my help.
One member in Florida, Mr. McInroe received a call to search for gold bars, we spent a few days discussing the search. I helped him the best I could on how to search the estate for hidden treasures and he was successful in finding 90 lbs of Silver coins and a 100 troy ounce silver bar. A total of $20,000 + I flew out to Florida and joined Mike on this search...Very exciting times!
While searching for the gold the silver was found, we have our ideas of what happen to the gold, I'll let you read the story that our member Mike McInroe will be writing shortly.
Mike was hired by a lawyer to do this search and the money that was found was donated to charity.
This website will not only help people find their lost rings, we can also help assist people in finding much, much more!
Read Mike McInrow's blog post for the full story.
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Estate Search turns up Buried Gold Coins Worth Over $100,000... found 35 Years Later! - The Ring Finders member Brian Rudolph
The Ring Finders member Brian Rudolph from Washington DC locates a find of a lifetime! Contacted to search for cache of 60 one ounce gold coins worth over $100,000 that were buried 35 years ago.
I will never forget that evening when I was getting out of my car to do an errand at the local REI store in Rockville, Maryland. I received a phone call from an older gentleman named Bob who explained that he received my contact information from an owner of a metal detector supply store who was aware of my affiliation with THE RING FINDERS directory. This led the man to review some of my recovery articles on THE RING FINDERS website. From there, he clicked on some of my search videos found on YouTube. The elderly man was looking for a metal detectorist who was full of integrity and honesty and one who lives with the fear of God in him. After reviewing only a few samples of my searches on THE RING FINDERS directory and the video links that were attached to the articles, Bob felt that I was the one to help him search and recover his father’s lost buried treasure.
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Finding Rings and Smiles - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in the Costco Connection August 2021
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Have you ever lost a wedding/engagement ring? - The Ring Finders on Good Morning America
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Lost Your Wedding Ring? These Strangers Will Find It For You - The Ring Finders in The Huffington Post
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The Fellowship of the Ring Finders - The Ring Finders in The Atlantic magazine by Jessica Delfino
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How The Ring Finders Directory Started (pdf) - Lost Treasure Magazine (May 2014 Issue)
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$18,000 Payout For Two Members From The Ring Finders Directory
2011 was a good year for helping the public find what they thought was lost forever and one recovery that stood out was a Huge Diamond ring and a Huge Payout!
Two members from The Ring Finders Directory Darrin & Marc split a whooping $18,000 for the recovery of a huge diamond ring (4 Karat) that was lost in over 7 feet of water last year. The two divers from The Ring Finders teamed up on this search that took them 9+ hours... The call came from an insurance company, a percentage if the item was found was negotiated before the search.
View Darrin's blog post about the search.
Ninety-seven percent of The Ring Finders members work on a reward basis, what people can afford and what its worth to them to have their ring found by a experienced treasure hunter/metal detectorist. Lots of us donate a percentage of our reward to charity. If insurance companies contact us we negotiate a percentage if the item is found.
The Ring Finders Directory is just 2 years old now with 135 members, 17 countries, and 400 recoveries. I'm very proud of this amazing website and its members who have joined to help people find what they thought was lost forever.
The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service Inc....When you want your lost ring to Find you!
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Lost ring found in Lake Minnetonka 50 years later - The Ring Finders member Scott Juusola in myfoxtwincities.com
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Lose something valuable in the sand? North Myrtle Beach Ring Finders ready to help - The Ring Finders members Jim Wren and Matthew Fry on WBTW News
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Long lost wedding ring found after a few words of prayer - The Ring Finders member Paul Humphreys on Fox6 Milwaukee
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Real Life Treasure Hunter Finds Gold, Lost Wedding Rings, War Artifacts & His Passion Through Metal Detecting - The Ring Finders member Michael Van Tassell on The Jimmy Rex Show
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The Ring Finders: Sonoma County metal detector hobbyists reunite people with their lost items for free - The Ring Finders members Kevin Tobin and Woodrow Engle in The Press Democrat
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Utah metal detectorist finds lost engagement ring hours after proposal - The Ring Finders member Michael Van Tassell in KSL News
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Christopher Turner - The Ring Finders - The Ring Finders founder and CEO Chris Turner on The Stuph File
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'They cry, I get a lot of hugs': This man has one of the most rewarding jobs in San Francisco - The Ring Finders member Marshall Smith in SFGATE News
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The New Detectorists - The Ring Finders member Nikoline Bohr in The New York Times
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A band of 500 modern day superheroes 💍 Chris Turner, The Ring Finders - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner on Get Together Radio
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Ring finders make people smile - The Ring Finders members Joe Au-Franz and in The Star Advertiser Hawaii
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Gold Cross Lost in Storm, Then Found - The Ring Finders member Rich Hageney in Coster OnLine Weekly NewsPaper
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Treasure hunting sleuth tracks down Port Moody wedding ring in time for anniversary - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in Tri-City News
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Buried Gold Coins Worth Over $100,000... found 35 Years Later! - The Ring Finders member Brian Rudolph
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Relic Roundup podcast - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner on Spreaker (interview starting ~8:00)
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‘Never give up on it’; Central New York Ring Finder aims to deliver lost valuables - The Ring Finders member Connell Raate on ABC News 9 New York
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Lost a ring? Someone might be able to find it - The Ring Finders member Brian Haines in YourCentralvalley.com
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Metal detecting helps people find their lost valuables - The Ring Finders member Gary Penta in WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando
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Victoria man makes a hobby of reuniting owners with lost rings - The Ring Finders member Don Marshall in the Victoria News
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Husband goes the distance for wife's wedding ring - The Ring Finders member Syd Kanten on 5 On Your Side
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Man’s search for buried treasure has nice ring to it - The Ring Finders member Jim Wren in the Clintonville Spotlight
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Metal detecting specialist from Clay uncovers hidden treasures that unlock many a mystery - The Ring Finders member H Connell Raate in 55 plus
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The lord of the lost rings - The Ring Finders member Chris Turner on BBC Outlook
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Armed with his metal detector, B.C. resident reunites lost jewelry with their owners - The Ring Finders member Chris Turner on Global News
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Lost a ring? This White Rock man will find it for you - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in Peace Arch News
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Wedding ring found after missing for 20 years - The Ring Finders member Bill Jones in Cochrane Eagle
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A metal detector and a mission - The Ring Finders member James Welch in The West Side Journal
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The Ring Finders - an int'l group that connects losers and finders - The Ring Finders member/CEO on The Morning News with Gord Gillies & Sue Deyell
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Man's hobby has a nice ring to it - The Ring Finders member John Favano in Bucks County Courier Times
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Wedding ring in Mission Beach sand found - The Ring Finders member Mark Rubey in the San Diego Reader News
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He Popped the Question, Then Dropped Her Engagement Ring in a River - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Farmers.com News
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Minnesota metal 'detectorists' track down rings, keys and memories - The Ring Finders member Darrin Gray in The Star Tribune
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Denver man has helped find more than 200 lost rings - The Ring Finders member Jeff Lubbert on Fox31 Denver
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Finders Kepa: Whangarei man's return of the ring - The Ring Finders member Pete McGhee in the NZ Herald
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Lost Ring? Call Ringfinder - The Ring Finders member Earl Roberts in The Connection
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Ring recovered from surf at Bunker Bay - The Ring Finders member Sean Boddie in Busselton-Dunsborough Mail
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Lost Your Wedding Ring at the Beach? The Ring Finders Are Here to Help - The Ring Finders member Matthew Fry in MyrtleBeach.com
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'Angels of the Beach': Ring Finders Spread Joy By Returning Lost Possessions - The Ring Finders member Steve Smith on NBC Los Angeles
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Man helps reunite people with lost items - The Ring Finders member Jim Wren onn WMBF News
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Wedding ring found in Mandurah canal - The Ring Finders member Sean Boddie in the Mandurah Coastal Times
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Amateur treasure hunters recover the lost things we hold dear - The Ring Finders member Steve Zmd on CBC News
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Man Is Hired To Locate Lost Wedding Ring, But Stumbles Upon A Different Piece Of Jewelry - The Ring Finders member Gary Bonin in Little Things
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Missing ring reunited with owner - The Ring Finders member Gary Bonin in TurnTo10
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The Ring Finder - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in Telus Community Stories
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Local man finds lost Boston College ring - The Ring Finders member Gary Bonin in NBC Channel 10 News
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Surf gives back ring with a little help - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in The Westerly Sun
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Widower Embraces Man After Finding Treasured Wedding Band at Waterford Beach - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in Patch
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With a stroke of luck, Waterford resident gets his ring back - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in The Day
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The Lost-Jewelry Hunters - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in The New Yorker
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Metal detector master finds missing treasures - The Ring Finders member Norm Peters in St. Albert Gazette
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Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member Bill Jones on CBC Radio
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'The thrill is in the hunt': Alberta retiree helps find lost wedding rings - The Ring Finders Member Bill Jones on CBC News
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The Ring Finders CEO/Chris Turner on FascinatingNouns.com Postcast... bit.ly/2hnouEg
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John Hughes stopped by the White's factory - The Ring Finders Member John Hughes with Whites Electronics
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Lost wedding ring? Call the Ring Finders! - The Ring Finders Member Derrick Turner on CBC News
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Woman's Lost Diamond Wedding Ring Found by Man She Calls 'A Gift From God' - The Ring Finders member Larry Royal on ABC News
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Paradise, Paused - The Ring Finders in the September 2016 issue (page 85) of Marin Magazine
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Retired fisherman recovers lost treasure on local beaches - The Ring Finders member Larry Royal in the Santa Maria Times
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Equipped With Metal Detector, Good Samaritan Helps Engaged Couple Find Lost Ring at Beach - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross on KTLA 5
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Local "Ring Finder" recovers wedding ring from ocean, returns it to owner - The Ring Finders member Mark Rubey in the San Diego 6 News
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Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member Don Marshall on 107.3 Kool FM
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DETECTORS: Big Island Metal Detecting, works on a reward basis - The Ring Finders members Brent & Sylvie Madison in West Hawaii Today
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St. Augustine woman connects the lost with the found - The Ring Finders member Barbara Galambos in First Coast News
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The return of the ring - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in The Orange County Register
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Reunited and It Feels So Good - The Ring Finders member Mike Baker in The World Online/Central Vermont’s Newspaper
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Delight from Despair- Finding Lost Rings - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Juneau County Star-Times
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Naples woman’s lost rings found in dark near Wiggins Pass - The Ring Finders members Mr. & Mrs. Ostendorf in Wink News
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Lost and found: WHS 1953 class ring turns up in bottom of metro lake - The Ring Finders member Scott Juusola in the Daily Globe
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Professional 'Ring Finders' reunite woman with lost engagement ring - The Ring Finders member John Hughes in FOX5 San Diego
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Nice ring to water recovery - The Ring Finders member Steven Bell in the Times Union
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Ring Finders Aliso Beach - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Aliso Beach - A Laguna Beach Gem Then And Now!
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Ring Finders Stan Ross - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Aliso Beach - A Laguna Beach Gem Then And Now!
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Doug Moe: The man who finds lost rings - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Wisconsin State Journal
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The Ring Finders : Metal Detectorists to the Rescue! - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in The Beading Gem's Journal
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Meet the metal detectorists saving marriages - The Ring Finders member Richard Higham on BBC News
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Richard Highan on BBC - The Ring Finders member Richard Higham on BBC North West Tonight
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Couple relieved ring is found - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Watertown Daily Times
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All's well that ends well - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle & son Carter in the Burnett County Sentinel
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Delight from Despair- Finding Lost Rings - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Juneau County Star-Times
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Smith: Meet Stan Ross, maestro of the metal detector - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in the Orange County Register
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Out of this world gift lost and found - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in The Province
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On call: Federal Heights metal-detecting treasure hunter Jeff Lubbert - The Ring Finders member Jeff Lubbert in The Denver Post
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Santa Cruz man finds wedding ring after it drops into ocean - The Ring Finders member Scott Foss in Santa Cruz Sentinel
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Day 29 of 365 "Travels and Treasures" - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Vizual Living 365
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Metal detectors: Life's a beach ... with the possibility of treasure - The Ring Finders member Bevan Badcott in The Canberra Times
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Good Samaritan finds man's missing ring, does not ask for reward - The Ring Finders member Mark Rubey in 10News
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Newark man searches for treasures - The Ring Finders member Jon Baughman in The Newark Advocate
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Woman Reunited With Lost Engagement Ring: Priceless - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner on Yahoo news
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Victoria's lord of the rings - The Ring Finders member Don Marshall in the Victoria News
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CEO and Treasure Hunter Chris Turner of The Ring Finders on The Rush… Shaw TV, with Fiona Forbes.
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Lost engagement ring returned to overjoyed owner - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in the Vancouver Sun
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Santa Cruz man finds wedding ring after it drops into ocean - The Ring Finders member Scott Foss in the Santa Cruz Sentinel
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Man Has Found, Returned 100 Gold Rings in 30 Years - The Ring Finders member Richard Browne
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Yarmouth man finds peace hunting for lost rings - The Ring Finders member Richard Browne in the wcvb.com - The Boston Channel
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Local man excels at discovering long-lost items - The Ring Finders member Darrin Gray in the Sun Patriot
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CBC Interview with Kevin Niefer - The Ring Finders member Kevin Niefer on CBC News - Calgary
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Fellowship of the ring finders - The Ring Finders member Tony Duffy in the Taupo Times
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Toronto's Treasure Hunters - The Ring Finders member Mark Ellis in the Toronto Standard
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Metal-detector enthusiasts ease the sting of losing the bling - The Ring Finders member Jon Baughman in the The Columbus Dispatch
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Lost wedding ring found - The Ring Finders member Larry Spearing interviewed by ABC-7's Paul Gessler
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Lost and found: Lee man is a sand-sifter who reunites people with lost rings - The Ring Finders member Larry Spearing in Naples News
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Valuables service - The Ring Finders member Tony Duffy in the Taupo Times
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"Best Boyfriend Ever" - The Ring Finders member and founder Chris Turner in The Calgary Sun
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Tom Rademacher: Others treasure this guy's work - The Ring Finders member Greg Larabel on Michigan Local News
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Lost your ring? Try a metal detective - The Ring Finders member Mark Ellis in The Star
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Metal detective finds lost rings and things - The Ring Finders member Jason Cleary in The Sault Star
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Give me a ring - The Ring Finders member Joe Cavaliere in the Missoula Independent
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Treasure Hunter - The Ring Finders member James Murphy in The Daily Courier
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Metal detector expert finds lost rings to raise cash for Alzheimer's - The Ring Finders member John Abel
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You lose it, he finds it - The Ring Finders member Kent Blethen in Wicked Local Plymouth News
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Rings found after days in the sand thanks to a local hero - The Ring Finders member and founder Chris Turner in The Westerly News Paper
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Good Day Sacremento Channel 31 Interview with The Ring Finders member Darryl Manfield featured in Good Day Sacramento
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When your ring falls off at the beach, who to call? - The Ring Finders member Darryl Mansfield featured in The Sacramento Bee
By Niesha Lofing
Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010
Marti Harris didn't realize something was wrong until she went to wash her hands after a camping trip at Lake Tahoe.
She instinctively reached to remove her wedding ring and place it in the ceramic ring holder that sits on a counter near the phone.
The ring wasn't on her finger.
Her stomach sank.
In just days, she and her husband, Charlie, would celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary.
"We thought maybe it was in the car, but the more we looked, the more we realized it wasn't here," Harris said.
The Folsom couple tore apart the car, searched the sleeping bags and even set up the tent in an effort to find the ring.
It could have been anywhere - the campsite, the beach, the lake.
Harris, 56, would later recall taking off the ring to apply suntan lotion. Distracted by her playful grandchildren, she got up to leave, not noticing that the ring had fallen into the sand.
Their daughter, who had camped with them and stayed a bit longer in Tahoe, combed the beach at Sugar Pine Point State Park before heading home.
"She told me 'Mom, I'm really having a hard time - I feel like I can't leave your ring behind," Harris said, her eyes still misting at the memory.
Harris has worn it since she was 17 years old.
The white gold band that's inscribed with the couple's initials, their wedding date and "MIZPAH," a Hebrew word signifying that "God lies between me and thee while we are apart from the other." Harris had planned to leave the ring to her daughter when she died.
"I had it through all my pregnancies, all my grandchildren being born," Harris said. "This ring has been on my finger for all that stuff. I couldn't grasp that I didn't have it. I had to have it."
She went online and found Darryl Mansfield, a retired lawyer for the state attorney general's office who has made a hobby of metal-detecting for more than 20 years. Mansfield, a Sacramento resident, is a member of The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service Inc., an online directory of metal-detecting specialists.
He and other hobbyists have helped people find jewelry and other items throughout the country. Their numbers appear to be growing as the price of gold rises, said Chris Turner, the Vancouver, British Columbia, man who founded Ring Finders.
Last week, my colleague, reporter Cathy Locke, wrote about a member of the Sacramento Valley Detecting Buffs who recently found a Sacramento newlywed's wedding ring on a Santa Cruz beach.
The day after the Harrises celebrated their bittersweet anniversary at Bidwell Street Bistro in Folsom, Charlie Harris headed back to Lake Tahoe. He searched the beach where they had played with their grandchildren. No ring.
Mansfield agreed to go up to Tahoe two days later - Charlie in tow. He didn't want a payment but asked the Harrises to reimburse him for gas.
About 45 minutes and a few false alarms after he arrived on the beach, they hit literal pay dirt.
"Charlie dug it up, and I saw gleam from the sunlight hitting the white gold ring," Mansfield said.
Harris couldn't help but tease his wife a bit when he called with the good news.
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Detector Finds Lost Ring On Beach - The Ring Finders member Darryl Mansfield featured in KCRA (includes video).
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Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member Stephane Philippe (French)
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Ring was lost and found - The Ring Finders member John Abel in the Brentwood Weekly News
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If you lose one, give him a ring - The Ring Finders member Stephane Philippe in The Low Down
Cantley man finds recovering people's lost treasures priceless
July 13, 2010
By Gavin Thomson
"There's a story attached to a piece of jewelry; and when some-body loses it, they lose the story; too," said Stephane Phillipe, a soft-spoken Cantley resident - one of only six people in Canada and 39 in the world - who works as a ring finder.
"I find what they lost and what they love, and give it back to them, to let the story continue."
The burly; 39-year-old Phillipe works for "The Ring Finders," a service that began 15 years ago when Vancouver resident Chris Turner decided to turn his passion for metal detecting into a job: find people's jewelry.
For Phillipe, ring finding is a hobby and part-time service, rather than a full-time job. In seven years, he's found four rings in six attempts. He charges on a "reward only basis" and asks for a $30 fuel and vehicle expenses fee if a search proves unsuccessful.
The best part of ring finding, he said, is not the money; but seeing the reactions of people after they've been reunited with their sentimental treasures.
"It's like they've found a daughter they haven't seen for years," said Phillipe, a trained diver who can make his searches on land and under water. "Their faces light up, and some of them start to cry."
Along with the other ring finders, he has a blog and profile on "theringfinders.com," on which he posts stories and pictures of his searches. Phillipe's pictures are included in the website's "Book of Smiles," a kind of online scrapbook documenting ring finders' success stories with pictures of people smiling while holding their found jewelry.
The book reflects the dignity of ring finders' unwritten moral code. Unlike most metal detectors, the ring finders don't keep the unclaimed treasures they find. Phillipe donates his recovered baubles to CHEO. Sometimes he puts ads in the paper describing the more valuable ones.
In his free time, he scans children's parks in the Aylmer area to rid them of dangerous metal objects. So far he has searched nearly three-quarters of all the parks and found "razor blades, screws, blades and beer cans which have been shredded and buried in the sand."
Phillipe, the only ring finder in the Outaouais, says he has a good chance of finding any ring, no matter how long it's been lost.
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5 minutes with Stephane Philippe - The Ring Finders member Stephane Philippe in the Ottawa Metro News
© STEVE COLLINS
METRO CANADA
July 02, 2010 2:30 a.m.
Stephane Philippe (www.theringfinders.com) helps those desperate people try to find lost rings or other pieces of jewelry.
Tell me what you do?
I help people find their rings that have been lost in the backyard or the beach or anywhere that they think they lost it. With my (metal detector) I basically find their item.
Are you making a living at this?
No, this is purely just a hobby, just a passion. I like helping people out. When people lose something, especially a ring, there's a story attached to it. What I do is I make that story continue by finding the ring or the chain or the bracelet.
You work on a reward basis. How does that work?
It's the same way as you would put an ad in a newspaper or on the Internet. if you lose a ring or a wallet, you would offer a reward. I go to collect the reward and I take 15 per cent of the reward and give it to charity.
Nice. Do you have a favourite charity?
CHEO. A friend of mine, her son is autistic, so he's been to CHEO quite often, and it's something I really care about.
Ever lose your car keys?
Yes I have.
Was the metal detector any help?
No, it wasn't (laughs). I actually lost them at the shopping centre and, unfortunately, the machine didn't help at all, but I've helped people find their car keys and all kinds of stuff like that. As long as it's metallic, I'll be able to find it. My success rate is over 95 per cent.
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Lost Ring? Ring Tony - The Ring Finders member Tony Shere
By DAVID COHEN
Tony Shere makes blokes break down and cry.
Tony - The Ring Finder - is a regular at Cottesloe Beach and hits the sand to save people from feeling guilty.
Using his metal detector, he looks for weddlng rings, gold and jewellery.
"I've been dong this for abcut 10 years," he said "I go out whenever I can as the relaxation factor is what it's all about, really."
Summer is a busy time, and Tony expects to get a lot of calls from beachgoers with tales of woe.
"Lost wedding and engagement rings; can be replaced but it's never the original," he said.
"Some rings are family heirlooms. I have found wedding rings that had been handed down from grandparents.
"An engagement ring I found recently was made by friends from melting down the gold from two family rings.
The loss of these sorts of rings weighs heavily on the conscience of many people and the guilt factor is enormous. I've had large grown men break down in tears when I find them."
To his disappointment Tony doesn't find everything.
In February he got a call abcut a lost wedding ring at North Cottesloe.
"I headed straight down that evening to search the dry beach but unfortunately the ring didn't turn up in my scoop," he said.
"I told the owner I would hit the water at 5am the following morning.
"It was a perfect summer morning for hunting, not a soul in sight and only the sounds of gentle waves and annoyed seagulls that I had disturbed from their peaceful beach."
But seven hours later, no ring. Instead, he had found more than $40 in Australian coins, lots of ring tabs, two broken mobile phones and sunglasses.
"I don't give up easily but I had to admit defeat, which is something I really hate," be said.
"I had covered the area really well and from different directions but this ring just wouldn't get under my coil."
The ring - white gold and sliver - had been on the man's finger for only four months.
"It seemed it was one size too big - a hard lesson to learn after wearing it into the water for the first time," Tony said.
The owner was worried the hours of searching would cost him too much. But he need not have worried.
"I told him there was nothing to pay unless the ring was found." Tony said. "I ask for a reward only if the item is found.
"Equipment and maintenance of my gear is expensive: these rewards help me keep this service going."
Call Tony on 0402 104 425.
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Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner on News 1130.
Latest Blog Posts
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5/18/24 I got a call a couple days ago from a lady in Colorado. Her son and daughter in law live in Vermont. A year and a half ago her husband was visiting Vermont helping to build an office in the “kids” barn, when he realized his wedding ring had fallen off. He had been […]
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Condo Key Lost on the Beach Access Path, Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach SC
Evan called me asking if I could help find a condo key that was lost along the beach access path from the condo to the beach. I got the address and was on my way. I arrived about 20 minutes later and met Evan, his wife Taryn and their son Jagger. The story goes that […]
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LOST COBALT WEDDING RING IN WENDEL…….FOUND!!!
Received a call from a couple that the husband had lost his cobalt wedding ring in the yard. Arranged a good date and time to meet and attempt to find it. Took me about 15 mins because it wasn’t in the flower bed where he thought he had lost it. It was about 3 feet […]
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Gold Wedding Ring Lost in Sand at Playa Del Rey Beach…Found and Happily Returned.
Steve’s Emergency Metal Detecting Service For You if you lost a ring or something precious to you. Please don’t wait until tomorrow, time will work against you, please CALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, CALL NOW! 310-953-5268 I received a call from Eitan about his lost ring. He was at the beach with his children when […]
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Gold and Diamond Rings Lost in Sand at Santa Monica Beach…Found and Happily Returned.
Steve’s Emergency Metal Detecting Service For You if you lost a ring or something precious to you. Please don’t wait until tomorrow, time will work against you, please CALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, CALL NOW! 310-953-5268 Shelly contacted me after desperately searching for the rings she lost at the beach while out with her family. […]
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Grandpa’s ring
Volleyball is a lot more fun if you don’t lose your grandfather‘s ring. After carefully securing his grandfather’s ring, which was a gift to him he participated in a volleyball game, but afterwards was unable to locate the ring after meeting with family and searching volleyball area I was able to reunite them with this […]
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Yard waste treasure
It was a cold snowy day in February 2022 when I was asked to search for a Lost Ring following some landscaping and pruning. The 2 Hour Dr. was snowy and it was cold outside when I arrived, but the snow had stopped. After meeting this nice couple and hearing their story, I first search […]
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Ring lost at Mission Bay found
Sydney along with her family and friends were visiting here in town. They were having a beach party on Mission Bay to celebrate a friend’s upcoming wedding. Sydney went out into the bay, and when she returned to the sand, shook the water off her hands, and discovered in horror that her engagement ring was […]
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Multiple Pieces of Stolen Jewelry…Recovered!!!
The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP 925-580-2590 The story behind this recovery in some ways is very similar to that which I perform on a somewhat routine basis. However, In some ways this was much different and took much more patience and thought. At a little past 11am […]
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Wedding Ring Recovered
I received a call regarding a lost wedding ring that occurred while playing volleyball. The problem was that the volleyball court was mobile, encompassing the area of nearly a football field. Worse, I was directed to where it was thought they had been playing. It was not in that area but it was found! […]
This Treasure Hunter Has Returned Hundreds Of Wedding Rings - Tamron Hall Show
Actor Jon Cryer loses, then finds wedding ring in pouring rain on Vancouver seawall - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in Vancouver Sun
See more Jon Cryer articles…- Actor Jon Cryer finds lost wedding ring thanks to Vancouver jewelry sleuth on CBC News
- Why The Loss of a Wedding Ring Can Be a Heartbreaker on nextavenue
- What Has Jon Cryer Been Up To Since 'Two And A Half Men'? on TheThings
- 'The Ring Finders' rescue Jon Cryer's wedding ring on CBS8
- Look: 'Ring Finders' Find Jon Cryer's Lost Ring on Y98
- Jon Cryer of 'Two and a Half Men' fame turns to B.C. ring-finder to search for lost wedding band on iNFO News
- Jon Cryer's Wife Jokes that the Man Who Found His Wedding Ring 'May Have Saved a Marriage' on People
- Ring finders make people smile on Star Advertiser
- Ator de comédias românticas clássicas dos anos 1980 viraliza ao revelar como perdeu e encontrou aliança de casamento (Portuguese) on Monet
- JON CRYER zažil situáciu hodnú smoliara Alana z Dva a pol chlapa: Neuveríte, čo sa mu stalo (Slovak) on Život
Estate Search turns up 90 lbs of silver coins ($20,000+) - The Ring Finders member Mike McInroe
The Ring Finders' Chris Turner & Mike McInroe
Estate search that produced 90 lbs of silver coins ($20,000+)
I created The Ring Finders Directory to help the public find a Metal Detecting Specialist to help assist them in finding their lost wedding rings.
Our directory has opened doors to other searches that our members are experiencing...House & Property Searches
There are many reasons why people hide their valuables... I have many years of experience in these kind of searches that I will share with members who need my help.
One member in Florida, Mr. McInroe received a call to search for gold bars, we spent a few days discussing the search. I helped him the best I could on how to search the estate for hidden treasures and he was successful in finding 90 lbs of Silver coins and a 100 troy ounce silver bar. A total of $20,000 + I flew out to Florida and joined Mike on this search...Very exciting times!
While searching for the gold the silver was found, we have our ideas of what happen to the gold, I'll let you read the story that our member Mike McInroe will be writing shortly.
Mike was hired by a lawyer to do this search and the money that was found was donated to charity.
This website will not only help people find their lost rings, we can also help assist people in finding much, much more!
Read Mike McInrow's blog post for the full story.
Estate Search turns up Buried Gold Coins Worth Over $100,000... found 35 Years Later! - The Ring Finders member Brian Rudolph
The Ring Finders member Brian Rudolph from Washington DC locates a find of a lifetime! Contacted to search for cache of 60 one ounce gold coins worth over $100,000 that were buried 35 years ago.
I will never forget that evening when I was getting out of my car to do an errand at the local REI store in Rockville, Maryland. I received a phone call from an older gentleman named Bob who explained that he received my contact information from an owner of a metal detector supply store who was aware of my affiliation with THE RING FINDERS directory. This led the man to review some of my recovery articles on THE RING FINDERS website. From there, he clicked on some of my search videos found on YouTube. The elderly man was looking for a metal detectorist who was full of integrity and honesty and one who lives with the fear of God in him. After reviewing only a few samples of my searches on THE RING FINDERS directory and the video links that were attached to the articles, Bob felt that I was the one to help him search and recover his father’s lost buried treasure.
Finding Rings and Smiles - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in the Costco Connection August 2021
Have you ever lost a wedding/engagement ring? - The Ring Finders on Good Morning America
Lost Your Wedding Ring? These Strangers Will Find It For You - The Ring Finders in The Huffington Post
The Fellowship of the Ring Finders - The Ring Finders in The Atlantic magazine by Jessica Delfino
How The Ring Finders Directory Started (pdf) - Lost Treasure Magazine (May 2014 Issue)
$18,000 Payout For Two Members From The Ring Finders Directory
2011 was a good year for helping the public find what they thought was lost forever and one recovery that stood out was a Huge Diamond ring and a Huge Payout!
Two members from The Ring Finders Directory Darrin & Marc split a whooping $18,000 for the recovery of a huge diamond ring (4 Karat) that was lost in over 7 feet of water last year. The two divers from The Ring Finders teamed up on this search that took them 9+ hours... The call came from an insurance company, a percentage if the item was found was negotiated before the search.
View Darrin's blog post about the search.
Ninety-seven percent of The Ring Finders members work on a reward basis, what people can afford and what its worth to them to have their ring found by a experienced treasure hunter/metal detectorist. Lots of us donate a percentage of our reward to charity. If insurance companies contact us we negotiate a percentage if the item is found.
The Ring Finders Directory is just 2 years old now with 135 members, 17 countries, and 400 recoveries. I'm very proud of this amazing website and its members who have joined to help people find what they thought was lost forever.
The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service Inc....When you want your lost ring to Find you!
Lost ring found in Lake Minnetonka 50 years later - The Ring Finders member Scott Juusola in myfoxtwincities.com
Lose something valuable in the sand? North Myrtle Beach Ring Finders ready to help - The Ring Finders members Jim Wren and Matthew Fry on WBTW News
Long lost wedding ring found after a few words of prayer - The Ring Finders member Paul Humphreys on Fox6 Milwaukee
Real Life Treasure Hunter Finds Gold, Lost Wedding Rings, War Artifacts & His Passion Through Metal Detecting - The Ring Finders member Michael Van Tassell on The Jimmy Rex Show
The Ring Finders: Sonoma County metal detector hobbyists reunite people with their lost items for free - The Ring Finders members Kevin Tobin and Woodrow Engle in The Press Democrat
Utah metal detectorist finds lost engagement ring hours after proposal - The Ring Finders member Michael Van Tassell in KSL News
Christopher Turner - The Ring Finders - The Ring Finders founder and CEO Chris Turner on The Stuph File
'They cry, I get a lot of hugs': This man has one of the most rewarding jobs in San Francisco - The Ring Finders member Marshall Smith in SFGATE News
The New Detectorists - The Ring Finders member Nikoline Bohr in The New York Times
A band of 500 modern day superheroes 💍 Chris Turner, The Ring Finders - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner on Get Together Radio
Ring finders make people smile - The Ring Finders members Joe Au-Franz and in The Star Advertiser Hawaii
Gold Cross Lost in Storm, Then Found - The Ring Finders member Rich Hageney in Coster OnLine Weekly NewsPaper
Treasure hunting sleuth tracks down Port Moody wedding ring in time for anniversary - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in Tri-City News
Buried Gold Coins Worth Over $100,000... found 35 Years Later! - The Ring Finders member Brian Rudolph
Relic Roundup podcast - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner on Spreaker (interview starting ~8:00)
‘Never give up on it’; Central New York Ring Finder aims to deliver lost valuables - The Ring Finders member Connell Raate on ABC News 9 New York
Lost a ring? Someone might be able to find it - The Ring Finders member Brian Haines in YourCentralvalley.com
Metal detecting helps people find their lost valuables - The Ring Finders member Gary Penta in WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando
Victoria man makes a hobby of reuniting owners with lost rings - The Ring Finders member Don Marshall in the Victoria News
Husband goes the distance for wife's wedding ring - The Ring Finders member Syd Kanten on 5 On Your Side
Man’s search for buried treasure has nice ring to it - The Ring Finders member Jim Wren in the Clintonville Spotlight
Metal detecting specialist from Clay uncovers hidden treasures that unlock many a mystery - The Ring Finders member H Connell Raate in 55 plus
The lord of the lost rings - The Ring Finders member Chris Turner on BBC Outlook
Armed with his metal detector, B.C. resident reunites lost jewelry with their owners - The Ring Finders member Chris Turner on Global News
Lost a ring? This White Rock man will find it for you - The Ring Finders CEO Chris Turner in Peace Arch News
Wedding ring found after missing for 20 years - The Ring Finders member Bill Jones in Cochrane Eagle
A metal detector and a mission - The Ring Finders member James Welch in The West Side Journal
The Ring Finders - an int'l group that connects losers and finders - The Ring Finders member/CEO on The Morning News with Gord Gillies & Sue Deyell
Man's hobby has a nice ring to it - The Ring Finders member John Favano in Bucks County Courier Times
Wedding ring in Mission Beach sand found - The Ring Finders member Mark Rubey in the San Diego Reader News
He Popped the Question, Then Dropped Her Engagement Ring in a River - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Farmers.com News
Minnesota metal 'detectorists' track down rings, keys and memories - The Ring Finders member Darrin Gray in The Star Tribune
Denver man has helped find more than 200 lost rings - The Ring Finders member Jeff Lubbert on Fox31 Denver
Finders Kepa: Whangarei man's return of the ring - The Ring Finders member Pete McGhee in the NZ Herald
Lost Ring? Call Ringfinder - The Ring Finders member Earl Roberts in The Connection
Ring recovered from surf at Bunker Bay - The Ring Finders member Sean Boddie in Busselton-Dunsborough Mail
Lost Your Wedding Ring at the Beach? The Ring Finders Are Here to Help - The Ring Finders member Matthew Fry in MyrtleBeach.com
'Angels of the Beach': Ring Finders Spread Joy By Returning Lost Possessions - The Ring Finders member Steve Smith on NBC Los Angeles
Man helps reunite people with lost items - The Ring Finders member Jim Wren onn WMBF News
Wedding ring found in Mandurah canal - The Ring Finders member Sean Boddie in the Mandurah Coastal Times
Amateur treasure hunters recover the lost things we hold dear - The Ring Finders member Steve Zmd on CBC News
Man Is Hired To Locate Lost Wedding Ring, But Stumbles Upon A Different Piece Of Jewelry - The Ring Finders member Gary Bonin in Little Things
Missing ring reunited with owner - The Ring Finders member Gary Bonin in TurnTo10
The Ring Finder - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in Telus Community Stories
Local man finds lost Boston College ring - The Ring Finders member Gary Bonin in NBC Channel 10 News
Surf gives back ring with a little help - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in The Westerly Sun
Widower Embraces Man After Finding Treasured Wedding Band at Waterford Beach - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in Patch
With a stroke of luck, Waterford resident gets his ring back - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in The Day
The Lost-Jewelry Hunters - The Ring Finders member Keith Wille in The New Yorker
Metal detector master finds missing treasures - The Ring Finders member Norm Peters in St. Albert Gazette
Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member Bill Jones on CBC Radio
'The thrill is in the hunt': Alberta retiree helps find lost wedding rings - The Ring Finders Member Bill Jones on CBC News
The Ring Finders CEO/Chris Turner on FascinatingNouns.com Postcast... bit.ly/2hnouEg
John Hughes stopped by the White's factory - The Ring Finders Member John Hughes with Whites Electronics
Lost wedding ring? Call the Ring Finders! - The Ring Finders Member Derrick Turner on CBC News
Woman's Lost Diamond Wedding Ring Found by Man She Calls 'A Gift From God' - The Ring Finders member Larry Royal on ABC News
Paradise, Paused - The Ring Finders in the September 2016 issue (page 85) of Marin Magazine
Retired fisherman recovers lost treasure on local beaches - The Ring Finders member Larry Royal in the Santa Maria Times
Equipped With Metal Detector, Good Samaritan Helps Engaged Couple Find Lost Ring at Beach - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross on KTLA 5
Local "Ring Finder" recovers wedding ring from ocean, returns it to owner - The Ring Finders member Mark Rubey in the San Diego 6 News
Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member Don Marshall on 107.3 Kool FM
DETECTORS: Big Island Metal Detecting, works on a reward basis - The Ring Finders members Brent & Sylvie Madison in West Hawaii Today
St. Augustine woman connects the lost with the found - The Ring Finders member Barbara Galambos in First Coast News
The return of the ring - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in The Orange County Register
Reunited and It Feels So Good - The Ring Finders member Mike Baker in The World Online/Central Vermont’s Newspaper
Delight from Despair- Finding Lost Rings - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Juneau County Star-Times
Naples woman’s lost rings found in dark near Wiggins Pass - The Ring Finders members Mr. & Mrs. Ostendorf in Wink News
Lost and found: WHS 1953 class ring turns up in bottom of metro lake - The Ring Finders member Scott Juusola in the Daily Globe
Professional 'Ring Finders' reunite woman with lost engagement ring - The Ring Finders member John Hughes in FOX5 San Diego
Nice ring to water recovery - The Ring Finders member Steven Bell in the Times Union
Ring Finders Aliso Beach - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Aliso Beach - A Laguna Beach Gem Then And Now!
Ring Finders Stan Ross - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Aliso Beach - A Laguna Beach Gem Then And Now!
Doug Moe: The man who finds lost rings - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Wisconsin State Journal
The Ring Finders : Metal Detectorists to the Rescue! - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in The Beading Gem's Journal
Meet the metal detectorists saving marriages - The Ring Finders member Richard Higham on BBC News
Richard Highan on BBC - The Ring Finders member Richard Higham on BBC North West Tonight
Couple relieved ring is found - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Watertown Daily Times
All's well that ends well - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle & son Carter in the Burnett County Sentinel
Delight from Despair- Finding Lost Rings - The Ring Finders member Dan Roekle in the Juneau County Star-Times
Smith: Meet Stan Ross, maestro of the metal detector - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in the Orange County Register
Out of this world gift lost and found - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in The Province
On call: Federal Heights metal-detecting treasure hunter Jeff Lubbert - The Ring Finders member Jeff Lubbert in The Denver Post
Santa Cruz man finds wedding ring after it drops into ocean - The Ring Finders member Scott Foss in Santa Cruz Sentinel
Day 29 of 365 "Travels and Treasures" - The Ring Finders member Stan Ross in Vizual Living 365
Metal detectors: Life's a beach ... with the possibility of treasure - The Ring Finders member Bevan Badcott in The Canberra Times
Good Samaritan finds man's missing ring, does not ask for reward - The Ring Finders member Mark Rubey in 10News
Newark man searches for treasures - The Ring Finders member Jon Baughman in The Newark Advocate
Woman Reunited With Lost Engagement Ring: Priceless - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner on Yahoo news
Victoria's lord of the rings - The Ring Finders member Don Marshall in the Victoria News
CEO and Treasure Hunter Chris Turner of The Ring Finders on The Rush… Shaw TV, with Fiona Forbes.
Lost engagement ring returned to overjoyed owner - The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner in the Vancouver Sun
Santa Cruz man finds wedding ring after it drops into ocean - The Ring Finders member Scott Foss in the Santa Cruz Sentinel
Man Has Found, Returned 100 Gold Rings in 30 Years - The Ring Finders member Richard Browne
Yarmouth man finds peace hunting for lost rings - The Ring Finders member Richard Browne in the wcvb.com - The Boston Channel
Local man excels at discovering long-lost items - The Ring Finders member Darrin Gray in the Sun Patriot
CBC Interview with Kevin Niefer - The Ring Finders member Kevin Niefer on CBC News - Calgary
Fellowship of the ring finders - The Ring Finders member Tony Duffy in the Taupo Times
Toronto's Treasure Hunters - The Ring Finders member Mark Ellis in the Toronto Standard
Metal-detector enthusiasts ease the sting of losing the bling - The Ring Finders member Jon Baughman in the The Columbus Dispatch
Lost wedding ring found - The Ring Finders member Larry Spearing interviewed by ABC-7's Paul Gessler
Lost and found: Lee man is a sand-sifter who reunites people with lost rings - The Ring Finders member Larry Spearing in Naples News
Valuables service - The Ring Finders member Tony Duffy in the Taupo Times
"Best Boyfriend Ever" - The Ring Finders member and founder Chris Turner in The Calgary Sun
Tom Rademacher: Others treasure this guy's work - The Ring Finders member Greg Larabel on Michigan Local News
Lost your ring? Try a metal detective - The Ring Finders member Mark Ellis in The Star
Metal detective finds lost rings and things - The Ring Finders member Jason Cleary in The Sault Star
Give me a ring - The Ring Finders member Joe Cavaliere in the Missoula Independent
Treasure Hunter - The Ring Finders member James Murphy in The Daily Courier
Metal detector expert finds lost rings to raise cash for Alzheimer's - The Ring Finders member John Abel
You lose it, he finds it - The Ring Finders member Kent Blethen in Wicked Local Plymouth News
Rings found after days in the sand thanks to a local hero - The Ring Finders member and founder Chris Turner in The Westerly News Paper
Good Day Sacremento Channel 31 Interview with The Ring Finders member Darryl Manfield featured in Good Day Sacramento
When your ring falls off at the beach, who to call? - The Ring Finders member Darryl Mansfield featured in The Sacramento Bee
By Niesha Lofing
Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010
Marti Harris didn't realize something was wrong until she went to wash her hands after a camping trip at Lake Tahoe.
She instinctively reached to remove her wedding ring and place it in the ceramic ring holder that sits on a counter near the phone.
The ring wasn't on her finger.
Her stomach sank.
In just days, she and her husband, Charlie, would celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary.
"We thought maybe it was in the car, but the more we looked, the more we realized it wasn't here," Harris said.
The Folsom couple tore apart the car, searched the sleeping bags and even set up the tent in an effort to find the ring.
It could have been anywhere - the campsite, the beach, the lake.
Harris, 56, would later recall taking off the ring to apply suntan lotion. Distracted by her playful grandchildren, she got up to leave, not noticing that the ring had fallen into the sand.
Their daughter, who had camped with them and stayed a bit longer in Tahoe, combed the beach at Sugar Pine Point State Park before heading home.
"She told me 'Mom, I'm really having a hard time - I feel like I can't leave your ring behind," Harris said, her eyes still misting at the memory.
Harris has worn it since she was 17 years old.
The white gold band that's inscribed with the couple's initials, their wedding date and "MIZPAH," a Hebrew word signifying that "God lies between me and thee while we are apart from the other." Harris had planned to leave the ring to her daughter when she died.
"I had it through all my pregnancies, all my grandchildren being born," Harris said. "This ring has been on my finger for all that stuff. I couldn't grasp that I didn't have it. I had to have it."
She went online and found Darryl Mansfield, a retired lawyer for the state attorney general's office who has made a hobby of metal-detecting for more than 20 years. Mansfield, a Sacramento resident, is a member of The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service Inc., an online directory of metal-detecting specialists.
He and other hobbyists have helped people find jewelry and other items throughout the country. Their numbers appear to be growing as the price of gold rises, said Chris Turner, the Vancouver, British Columbia, man who founded Ring Finders.
Last week, my colleague, reporter Cathy Locke, wrote about a member of the Sacramento Valley Detecting Buffs who recently found a Sacramento newlywed's wedding ring on a Santa Cruz beach.
The day after the Harrises celebrated their bittersweet anniversary at Bidwell Street Bistro in Folsom, Charlie Harris headed back to Lake Tahoe. He searched the beach where they had played with their grandchildren. No ring.
Mansfield agreed to go up to Tahoe two days later - Charlie in tow. He didn't want a payment but asked the Harrises to reimburse him for gas.
About 45 minutes and a few false alarms after he arrived on the beach, they hit literal pay dirt.
"Charlie dug it up, and I saw gleam from the sunlight hitting the white gold ring," Mansfield said.
Harris couldn't help but tease his wife a bit when he called with the good news.
Detector Finds Lost Ring On Beach - The Ring Finders member Darryl Mansfield featured in KCRA (includes video).
Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member Stephane Philippe (French)
Ring was lost and found - The Ring Finders member John Abel in the Brentwood Weekly News
If you lose one, give him a ring - The Ring Finders member Stephane Philippe in The Low Down
Cantley man finds recovering people's lost treasures priceless
July 13, 2010
By Gavin Thomson
"There's a story attached to a piece of jewelry; and when some-body loses it, they lose the story; too," said Stephane Phillipe, a soft-spoken Cantley resident - one of only six people in Canada and 39 in the world - who works as a ring finder.
"I find what they lost and what they love, and give it back to them, to let the story continue."
The burly; 39-year-old Phillipe works for "The Ring Finders," a service that began 15 years ago when Vancouver resident Chris Turner decided to turn his passion for metal detecting into a job: find people's jewelry.
For Phillipe, ring finding is a hobby and part-time service, rather than a full-time job. In seven years, he's found four rings in six attempts. He charges on a "reward only basis" and asks for a $30 fuel and vehicle expenses fee if a search proves unsuccessful.
The best part of ring finding, he said, is not the money; but seeing the reactions of people after they've been reunited with their sentimental treasures.
"It's like they've found a daughter they haven't seen for years," said Phillipe, a trained diver who can make his searches on land and under water. "Their faces light up, and some of them start to cry."
Along with the other ring finders, he has a blog and profile on "theringfinders.com," on which he posts stories and pictures of his searches. Phillipe's pictures are included in the website's "Book of Smiles," a kind of online scrapbook documenting ring finders' success stories with pictures of people smiling while holding their found jewelry.
The book reflects the dignity of ring finders' unwritten moral code. Unlike most metal detectors, the ring finders don't keep the unclaimed treasures they find. Phillipe donates his recovered baubles to CHEO. Sometimes he puts ads in the paper describing the more valuable ones.
In his free time, he scans children's parks in the Aylmer area to rid them of dangerous metal objects. So far he has searched nearly three-quarters of all the parks and found "razor blades, screws, blades and beer cans which have been shredded and buried in the sand."
Phillipe, the only ring finder in the Outaouais, says he has a good chance of finding any ring, no matter how long it's been lost.
5 minutes with Stephane Philippe - The Ring Finders member Stephane Philippe in the Ottawa Metro News
© STEVE COLLINS
METRO CANADA
July 02, 2010 2:30 a.m.
Stephane Philippe (www.theringfinders.com) helps those desperate people try to find lost rings or other pieces of jewelry.
Tell me what you do?
I help people find their rings that have been lost in the backyard or the beach or anywhere that they think they lost it. With my (metal detector) I basically find their item.
Are you making a living at this?
No, this is purely just a hobby, just a passion. I like helping people out. When people lose something, especially a ring, there's a story attached to it. What I do is I make that story continue by finding the ring or the chain or the bracelet.
You work on a reward basis. How does that work?
It's the same way as you would put an ad in a newspaper or on the Internet. if you lose a ring or a wallet, you would offer a reward. I go to collect the reward and I take 15 per cent of the reward and give it to charity.
Nice. Do you have a favourite charity?
CHEO. A friend of mine, her son is autistic, so he's been to CHEO quite often, and it's something I really care about.
Ever lose your car keys?
Yes I have.
Was the metal detector any help?
No, it wasn't (laughs). I actually lost them at the shopping centre and, unfortunately, the machine didn't help at all, but I've helped people find their car keys and all kinds of stuff like that. As long as it's metallic, I'll be able to find it. My success rate is over 95 per cent.
Lost Ring? Ring Tony - The Ring Finders member Tony Shere
By DAVID COHEN
Tony Shere makes blokes break down and cry.
Tony - The Ring Finder - is a regular at Cottesloe Beach and hits the sand to save people from feeling guilty.
Using his metal detector, he looks for weddlng rings, gold and jewellery.
"I've been dong this for abcut 10 years," he said "I go out whenever I can as the relaxation factor is what it's all about, really."
Summer is a busy time, and Tony expects to get a lot of calls from beachgoers with tales of woe.
"Lost wedding and engagement rings; can be replaced but it's never the original," he said.
"Some rings are family heirlooms. I have found wedding rings that had been handed down from grandparents.
"An engagement ring I found recently was made by friends from melting down the gold from two family rings.
The loss of these sorts of rings weighs heavily on the conscience of many people and the guilt factor is enormous. I've had large grown men break down in tears when I find them."
To his disappointment Tony doesn't find everything.
In February he got a call abcut a lost wedding ring at North Cottesloe.
"I headed straight down that evening to search the dry beach but unfortunately the ring didn't turn up in my scoop," he said.
"I told the owner I would hit the water at 5am the following morning.
"It was a perfect summer morning for hunting, not a soul in sight and only the sounds of gentle waves and annoyed seagulls that I had disturbed from their peaceful beach."
But seven hours later, no ring. Instead, he had found more than $40 in Australian coins, lots of ring tabs, two broken mobile phones and sunglasses.
"I don't give up easily but I had to admit defeat, which is something I really hate," be said.
"I had covered the area really well and from different directions but this ring just wouldn't get under my coil."
The ring - white gold and sliver - had been on the man's finger for only four months.
"It seemed it was one size too big - a hard lesson to learn after wearing it into the water for the first time," Tony said.
The owner was worried the hours of searching would cost him too much. But he need not have worried.
"I told him there was nothing to pay unless the ring was found." Tony said. "I ask for a reward only if the item is found.
"Equipment and maintenance of my gear is expensive: these rewards help me keep this service going."
Call Tony on 0402 104 425.
Radio Interview with The Ring Finders member and CEO Chris Turner on News 1130.
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5/18/24 I got a call a couple days ago from a lady in Colorado. Her son and daughter in law live in Vermont. A year and a half ago her husband was visiting Vermont helping to build an office in the “kids” barn, when he realized his wedding ring had fallen off. He had been […]
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Condo Key Lost on the Beach Access Path, Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach SC
Evan called me asking if I could help find a condo key that was lost along the beach access path from the condo to the beach. I got the address and was on my way. I arrived about 20 minutes later and met Evan, his wife Taryn and their son Jagger. The story goes that […]
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LOST COBALT WEDDING RING IN WENDEL…….FOUND!!!
Received a call from a couple that the husband had lost his cobalt wedding ring in the yard. Arranged a good date and time to meet and attempt to find it. Took me about 15 mins because it wasn’t in the flower bed where he thought he had lost it. It was about 3 feet […]
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Gold Wedding Ring Lost in Sand at Playa Del Rey Beach…Found and Happily Returned.
Steve’s Emergency Metal Detecting Service For You if you lost a ring or something precious to you. Please don’t wait until tomorrow, time will work against you, please CALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, CALL NOW! 310-953-5268 I received a call from Eitan about his lost ring. He was at the beach with his children when […]
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Gold and Diamond Rings Lost in Sand at Santa Monica Beach…Found and Happily Returned.
Steve’s Emergency Metal Detecting Service For You if you lost a ring or something precious to you. Please don’t wait until tomorrow, time will work against you, please CALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, CALL NOW! 310-953-5268 Shelly contacted me after desperately searching for the rings she lost at the beach while out with her family. […]
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Grandpa’s ring
Volleyball is a lot more fun if you don’t lose your grandfather‘s ring. After carefully securing his grandfather’s ring, which was a gift to him he participated in a volleyball game, but afterwards was unable to locate the ring after meeting with family and searching volleyball area I was able to reunite them with this […]
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Yard waste treasure
It was a cold snowy day in February 2022 when I was asked to search for a Lost Ring following some landscaping and pruning. The 2 Hour Dr. was snowy and it was cold outside when I arrived, but the snow had stopped. After meeting this nice couple and hearing their story, I first search […]
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Ring lost at Mission Bay found
Sydney along with her family and friends were visiting here in town. They were having a beach party on Mission Bay to celebrate a friend’s upcoming wedding. Sydney went out into the bay, and when she returned to the sand, shook the water off her hands, and discovered in horror that her engagement ring was […]
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Multiple Pieces of Stolen Jewelry…Recovered!!!
The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP 925-580-2590 The story behind this recovery in some ways is very similar to that which I perform on a somewhat routine basis. However, In some ways this was much different and took much more patience and thought. At a little past 11am […]
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Wedding Ring Recovered
I received a call regarding a lost wedding ring that occurred while playing volleyball. The problem was that the volleyball court was mobile, encompassing the area of nearly a football field. Worse, I was directed to where it was thought they had been playing. It was not in that area but it was found! […]
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