Justin reached out at 7:15 this morning with a message that sounded just short of panic: “Fiancé lost her gold ring somewhere on our property. I have a general location but we’ve walked over it so many times I’m sure it’s buried.”
The Story
Justin and his fiancée were spreading straw in their chicken run because the ground was too moist. During the task, she realized her ring was missing. She was understandably distraught. The ring had belonged to her grandmother and was a gift from her grandfather, and it meant a great deal to the whole family.
Coaching Over the Phone
Justin had already bought a metal detector from a franchised tool company and searched without luck. The machine kept alerting, but it only turned up nails, bolts, and aluminum.
I walked him through a few techniques:
- Swing the coil as close to the ground as possible.
- Overlap each swing by half the coil width to cover 100% of the ground.
- If the detector has a sensitivity setting, turn it down so it isn’t deep scanning. The ring would be on the surface.
A short time later, I could tell he was getting frustrated. I reassured him that it takes practice to understand what a machine is telling you. I offered to come out and help, though it might be later that day or the next because of prior commitments. He said that would be great and that he would keep searching in the meantime.
Heading Out
I checked in around 2:30 pm, let Justin know I was halfway through my other job, and asked him to send his address. I estimated I could arrive around 4:30, which would leave plenty of daylight. Worst case, I would bring lighting to keep going after dark.
The Recovery
I arrived right on time and was greeted by the whole family. They showed me the paths she had walked, which they had pulled from the property’s security cameras.
I wanted to start where she had spread the straw. I scanned the covered section, then moved on to the next. On the first pass, I got a promising signal under a large pile of straw. I moved the pile aside and the signal was still there. Using my pinpointer, I pushed the straw away like a broom. Two more inches, and I could see the prize.
I retrieved the ring and placed it back in her hand. She became emotional, and I was even happier to return her grandmother’s ring to where it belonged.
Wrapping Up
We took a few photos and wrapped up another successful recovery. From arrival to placing the ring in her hand, it took only 10 to 15 minutes.
Thank you both for placing your trust in me and giving me the chance to help.
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