Jim Wren, Author at The Ring Finders

Man’s Yellow Gold Wedding Band Lost in the Ocean, Found and Returned Ocean Isle Beach NC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On Thursday, October 1, 2026, just before 8 p.m., I received the following text, “Hey Jim, This is Skyler. My Family and I are vacationing at Ocean Isle beach (from Ashville) and I lost my gold wedding band around 4pm today while playing in the water with my daughter (between knee and waist depth) near the condo that we are staying in. I found you online and am wondering if you can assist? Please let me know. Thank you.” I took a quick look at the tide table and saw that he lost it about 2 hours before low tide and it was now 2 plus hours after low tide. The next low tides were Friday at 6 am or 7 pm. I called Skylar and got some additional details including the address of the condo and we decided that I’d be there before the 7 pm low tide the next evening and hung up.

As I’m sitting watching TV and thinking about this ring search, I looked at the tide tables again. I was thinking it’d be dark at 6 am but probably a calmer ocean that early in the morning. Plus no heat, no crowds and hopefully before anybody swinging a metal detector would be searching the beach. I text Skyler back and asked if they had taken any pictures of where they were sitting showing the condo in the background. He responded that they had not, but he could take pictures in the morning and send them to me. Within a minute or so, he text me a picture his wife, Taylor had taken that couldn’t have been any better. It clearly showed me exactly where they had been sitting in relationship to the right corner of the condo. He also said he was to the left of where they were sitting when he lost his ring while facing the condo. I made the decision then to be out there about 5:15 a.m. I sent him a text letting him know the change of plans.

When I got there I made my way out to the beach and although it was pitch dark, I was able to line up with the corner of the condo as shown in the photo.  I turned on my Equinox 800 and started a north/south grid line. Knowing I was looking for a yellow gold wedding band, I was expecting a VDI (visual display indicator) number in the high teens. On my third grid line, ankle deep in the ocean and my first target, I got a very solid and clear 20 on the VDI. I dug the target out of the wet sand. I turned on my headlamp but couldn’t see anything through the shells in the scoop. I reached into the scoop with my hand and put my index finger right through the ring. Bingo! I made my way back up to the condo and saw somebody standing by the pool watching me. He said “Jim?” I replied “Skyler?” and we shook hands. I asked him what his ring looked like as I pulled his ring out of my pocket and held it up for him to see. Needless to say, he was stunned when he saw it and replied, “That’s it!” We walked back up to his unit so I could get pictures. While we were talking, he told me that after he lost it, his 4 year old daughter told him something like, “Daddy, if I had superpowers I’d find your ring.” How sweet is that!! What a way to start the day, for both of us!!

Taylor – you saved the day with the picture you took. It was absolutely perfect. Thank You!

Skyler – Thank you for contacting and trusting me to help find your lost Treasure. I wish you and your family all the best, enjoy your vacation.

Jim

 

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3 Ring White Gold Wedding/Engagement Ring Set Lost in the Ocean, Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On September 28, 2026, around 4:30 p.m., I received a phone call from Amy-Grace saying she had just lost her Wedding and Engagement ring in the ocean. I told her I’d be there in 20 minutes and ask her to send me the address, which she did.

When I arrived, I was able to park at Amy-Grace’s rental and walk down to the beach. On the way, I met Amy-Grace who was walking back to their rental with her daughter. She told me about what time and how deep she was when she lost it, which was right at low tide. She also told me her sister and husband were on the beach waiting for me and would show me the loss area.  I was already an hour after low tide, so I needed to get started.

I met Amy-Grace’s sister and husband, Tom. Neither one was real sure but thought she lost her ring a little diagonally to the left of where they had their chairs set up. Other details I got where they were looking for shells along the shell beds near the shore. I fired up my Equinox 800 and started an east/west grid search working my way north and along the shell beds. The tide was coming in fast, and it wasn’t long before I was taking waves up to my back. After a little bit, Amy-Grace came back out to the beach and put me in a completely different area about 15-20 yards or more north of where I had been searching. I’m now almost 2 hours past low tide and the sea breeze was blowing in enough to cause the waves to kick up. At this point I wasn’t making any progress, so I told Amy-Grace I’d be back the next day at low tide which was at 4:12 p.m. While I was talking to Amy-Grace she repeated that when she lost her ring set, that she was lined up with a streetlight pole that could be seen from where we were standing.  So, I had a good starting point for the next day.

The next day, Tuesday I arrived just before 3 p.m. and met with Tom, who said Amy-Grace was at Walmart getting food for the family. Not a problem, I knew where I needed to start the search. I lined up with the light post and moved north, just to extend the search area. I’d rather be long than short on the search area. I started my east/west search, going south and out at least thigh deep to make sure I was beyond the shell bed. I was on my sixth line and dead even with the light pole when I got a solid 9 on the equinox’s VDI (visual display indicator). I knew a lady’s white gold ring would show between 9-12 on the VDI. Bingo! I dug a full scoop of sand and checked the hole 3 or 4 times to make sure I had the target in the scoop. I washed the sand out of the scoop, looked in and all I saw were shells, a whole scoop full. I started removing small amounts of shells with my fingers and shaking the scoop again. I finally removed about two thirds of the shells and saw the bottom part of her ring. I reached it and grabbed it and washed it off in the water. I walked over to Tom and asked him what Amy-Grace’s ring looked like, already knowing I had it. He looked at me and as he’s describing it, I held it up for him to see. His expression said it all! He said later that when I asked that question, he had a feeling I had found it. Now we had to wait for Amy-Grace to come back from shopping to surprise her. When she returned to the beach, the tide had turned but it was still workable. I put the ring on my index finger and was pointing to confirm where I thought the ring should be, she never did see her ring. As she’s walking away to take me to the spot, I called her name and as she turned around, I held the ring up in front of my face. It took her a second to realize that I had her ring. Tears started flowing and I got a huge bear hug. I love returning someone’s treasure that they thought was gone forever.

Amy-Grace – Thank you for trusting me to help find your lost treasure. So happy it’s back where it belongs.

Jim

 

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Platinum Engagement Ring Lost in the Ocean, Found and Returned Ocean Isle Beach NC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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Just after 5:30 p.m. on September 25, 2026, I received a call from Tricia saying her friend; Caroline had lost her Platinum Engagement ring in the ocean. Looking at the tide tables, she lost it about 2 or so hours before high tide. The next low tide wasn’t until just before 1 a.m. I’m not a big fan and neither is my wife, of me going out in the middle of the night, alone in total darkness and doing a possible water search. So again, looking at the tide tables, the next low tide was after 2 p.m. on Saturday. I asked Tricia to get me some landmarks from the houses behind her on the beach. She did one better and took a couple of pictures showing a couple of houses and where the ladies were set up on the beach. I told her that I’d be there the next morning at 11 a.m., this would be 4 hours plus after high tide and give me time to work the low tide line if necessary.

The next morning just before 11 a.m., I arrived at the house that Tricia, Caroline and another friend Isa were staying. Caroline and Tricia walked me down to the beach and showed me the area. Talking with Caroline she explained that she was about knee to thigh deep and had put her hands in the water to splash Tricia and Isa and felt her ring come off her finger. Unfortunately, she was facing the ocean which put the ring a little farther out. Looking at the pictures Tricia took; I lined myself up and started a north/south grid line. I covered the suspected area, taking the search out to knee to thigh deep. I expected, with the outgoing tide, her ring would be in the wet sand. After finishing that section and talking with Caroline, I moved past the west boundary and started another grid search. I still wasn’t finding her ring. The only area left was between my two grid searches. I started on the west side and worked east to my original starting point. On my last line and in the wet sand, I got a solid signal with a VDI (visual display indicator) reading of 16. I think all of my platinum VDI readings have been in the 11 to 12 range. Like all my targets, I dig everything. One scoop and I had the target out of the hole. Spread the sand out with my foot and saw a beautiful ring staring up at me. I picked up the ring and was sure I had Caroline’s ring. It appeared platinum and was heavy and thick, hence the high VDI reading. Caroline had gone back up to the house, so I showed the ring to Tricia and Isa who both thought it was Caroline’s. Isa verified that it was stamped with “PLAT” so I was confident we had Caroline’s ring. I think Isa took a picture and sent it to Caroline and Tricia called her just as Caroline was walking back on the beach. What a big smile Caroline had on her face. Caroline called her husband, Charlie to give him the good news. Charlie wanted to talk with me, and he thanked me for finding her ring. A funny little back story is that Charlie metal detects, but more relic hunting than beach. In the beginning of Caroline’s trip, he offered her the opportunity to take one of his metal detectors, but she wasn’t interested. Charlie and I have a future date to go metal detecting when they come down around Thanksgiving. I can’t wait.

Tricia – Thank you for contacting me to help get Caroline’s ring back.

Caroline – I’m so happy to have found your ring for you and to get it back where it belongs.

Jim

 

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Pocket Knife Lost in the Soft Sand, Found and Returned Sunset Beach NC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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Just after 9:30 am on 9/20/26, I got a text message saying, “Gary on the pier gave me your number. I lost a knife on the beach by the 38th street public access. Wondering if you could help. I’m not worried about the knife as much as a child finding it. Let me know. My name is Tim.” I didn’t notice the text until 11 a.m. so I called the number attached to the text and got a few more details from Tim and told him I’d be there in 30-35 minutes.

When I arrived, I met Tim on the beach, and he walked me to the loss area. He had marked out about a 10X10 foot area that the knife should be in. He told me the knife had been sitting on a cooler and when he and his wife packed up to leave, the knife was gone. He also mentioned he had spent 2-3 hours last night looking for it with no success. I turned my Equinox on and started an east/west grid search at the far corner of his box. On my second pass I got a strong 19/20 on the VDI (visual display indicator) and dug a scoop of sand. I had the target out of the hole and dumped the scoop of sand out on the beach. I spread the sand out with my foot and saw his knife lying in the sand. Tim was very grateful to get his 15-year-old knife back in his possession.

Tim – Thank you for calling me to help find your lost knife.

Jim

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White Gold Engagement Ring Lost in the Sand, Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On September 2, 2026 and just after 9:30 p.m., I received the following text in part, “Hi Jim. This is Angie. I saw everyone recommended you on ring finders. I never knew it was a thing!! Super cool how you do this. My best friend, Nikki and I were at the beach Monday. We were visiting friends outside the Sea Cabins near 60th. She lost her silver, small round diamond engagement ring under the pier. We went back an hour later and checked the parking lot and beach, nothing. She’s been upset ever since and I figured I would give this a try.” We went back and forth, so I could make sure where I was looking. Angie also stated that Nikki had put her rings in her beach chair and got to the campground and opened her chair. Her wedding band was in it but not her engagement ring. Angie also included a picture of where they were sitting under the pier, which helped. I had another engagement ring search just up the road from this that I had to hit before low tide the next morning, so I told her I’d check it out the next morning after I searched for the other ring.

I got to the pier at 6:30 the next morning and checked under and around the underside of the pier, taking the search both up and down a few sections, with no luck. I wasn’t satisfied that I couldn’t find it because it’s not in an area that would get heavily hit with detectors. So I planned on coming back and checking after I talked to Angie to find out which way they went when they left the beach. I felt that ring should be there somewhere.

I wasn’t able to get back out there until Saturday afternoon about 3 p.m. and when I did there was a family set up right where I needed to search. I learned from Angie that when they left the beach they went to the left (as facing the ocean) so I did a wide grid search to the beach access, still not finding the ring. Finally, the family taking up the space was packing up and left. So I went back under the pier and extended the search out to the right. Good decision. About 20 feet out, I hit a solid 6 on the VDI (visual display indicator) which is a great number for a white gold engagement ring. Angie told me Nikki’s ring was silver, but a white gold ring looks silver but rings up with totally different numbers on the VDI. Silver would ring up in the mid 20s, a single white gold ring signals up in the 4-6 range. One scoop of sand and I had Nikki’s ring in the scoop.

I made my way back to my car and looked at the picture Angie had sent and was confident I had Nikki’s ring. I took a picture and sent it to Angie with a text saying, “Your Friends?!?” She immediately responded saying, “OMG!! You found it.” I called Angie to get an address to mail it back. Tuesday I got it in the mail to Angie who is holding it until Nikki returns home from vacation. On Saturday, September 19th, I got a picture of Nikki with a big smile and her ring back on her finger.

Angie – Thank you so much for contacting me to help your friend, Nikki get her ring back.

Nikki – I’m so happy that you got your treasure back!

Jim

 

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After she said “Yes” to His Proposal, Her Silver Engagement Ring Slipped into the Ocean, North Myrtle Beach SC.

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On Wednesday September 2, 2026, and just before 8 p.m., I received a phone call from Kenneth saying he had lost a silver engagement ring in the ocean. He continued by saying that he had proposed to his Fiancée, Alli and within a few seconds, he heard her say, “Oh NO!” when her ring had slipped off her finger at the edge of the water and disappeared. I got the address and was on my way.

When I arrived, I met Kenneth on the beach, and he showed me the area. The problem was it was Pitch Black outside, and he wasn’t sure of the exact location. So, I was looking at a pretty good size area. I started a grid search at what was thought to be the far north end of the area. After about an hour, I called it a night. I couldn’t see my grid lines and was just wandering aimlessly in hopes of hitting the ring with the Equinox 800. I told him I’d be there the next morning at low tide.

The next morning when I showed up, there was another guy detecting the area. I was confused and Kenneth said someone had responded to his post on Facebook and had been there since 5:30 a.m. When I talked to the guy, I found out he was a Ring Finder from NC and was on vacation. He had seen the post and thought he’d lend a hand in finding the ring. I got a better idea from Kenneth of where the ring was lost but it was apparent, by the scoop drag marks in the sand, that the area had already been searched. So, I did the top half of the beach with no luck. After a couple of hours of searching we called it. I wasn’t pleased with the results and had planned on redoing the area on another day.

I was busy for the next 2 days but was finally able to make it out on Sunday morning before low tide, 4 days after the loss. I started my normal east/west grid search, from the beach to the water, and at the southern point where Kenneth was positive they hadn’t been past. From the details Kenneth had given me, I knew the ring should be just above the low tide line, just not sure how far across the beach. Just around an hour of doing my grid search across the beach, I was about 15 feet out of the water and hit a loud and solid 21-22 on the Equinox VDI (visual display indicator). Those numbers told me there was silver under the coil. It took a couple of scoops, and the target was out of the hole. I spread the sand out with my foot and saw Kenneth’s silver engagement ring lying on the beach. I took a picture of his ring and sent it to him, then called him. He confirmed it was his. Tuesday, I got the ring in the mail back to where it belongs.

On Friday 9/11, Kenneth advised me he received his ring in the mail. The ring is back where it belongs safe and sound!

Kenneth – Thanks for calling me and allowing me to help find your lost treasure. I wish you and Alli all the best.

Jim

 

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Man’s Yellow Gold Class Ring Lost in the Ocean, Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach, SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On Sunday, September 6, 2026, I got a notification on FB about a gentleman who had lost his 20-year-old Patrick Henry Class Ring in the ocean. At 8 p.m. that evening I received a call from Emilia, the daughter of Osmin, the gentleman who had lost the ring. She told me he had lost it around 12:30-1 p.m. and was maybe chest deep. A quick check of the tide tables and that would have been roughly mid-tide with the next low tide happening just after 10 p.m. I told her that I could meet them at 10 p.m. I was watching the weather, which had predicted storms. And a little after 8 p.m., I text Emilia saying I was going to cancel that evening and would be there the next morning at 10 a.m., which was just before low tide.

On Monday just before 9:30 a.m., I sent Emilia a text saying, “On my way.” She acknowledged that she’d be waiting.  When I walked out on the beach, I met Emilia and her husband, Kenny. She told me her dad was away, but Kenny had been there when Osmin lost his ring. Kenny showed me what he remembered about where they were, and I started an east/west grid. I was using the beams on the Resort’s building as my landmark as I worked my way from North to South across the target area. As I got about halfway across the grid search, Osmin showed up and showed me about where he had been which I hadn’t gotten to yet in my search. I told him I’d keep working on my grid search so I’m not jumping from one spot to another. Osmin also said that he was trying to catch a ball that his brother had thrown, when the ball hit his ring finger and the ring slipped off into the ocean. I was just getting to Osmin’s suspected area when I got a solid signal and a 19-20 on the VDI (visual display indicator), those numbers tell me there’s a big gold ring under the coil. Dug one scoop, shook the sand out in the water and saw Osmin’s beautiful class ring in the scoop. I started walking towards Osmin and Kenny and stuck the scoop out for Osmin to retrieve his ring. Osmin’s big smile and a sign of relief make it all worthwhile.

Emilia – Thank you for calling me to help find your dad’s treasured class ring.

Jim

 

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White Gold Wedding Band and Engagement Ring Separately Slip into the Ocean at Garden City SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On Saturday August 22, 2026, and just after 3 p.m., I received a text saying, “Hi There! I just lost (30 mins ago) my engagement ring and wedding band in the ocean. I understand these are just possessions, but it still stings after wearing for more than 16 years. Not sure what to do, but I posted on Facebook and you were highly recommended. Yucca Ave and Waccamaw in Garden City.” I immediately looked up the tide tables for Garden City and saw high tide was going to be in less than an hour at 4:10. I called the number attached and spoke with Kelli. I asked the usual questions, like how deep she was and whether she could meet me to show me the area. She told me that it was her sons 12th birthday and they had already made plans. Since she was still on the beach, I asked her to turn around and take a couple of pictures of what was behind her to give me a reference point. She also told me that she was about waist deep. I told her I’d be out there about 7 p.m. to work the outgoing tide.

On my way down to Garden City around 7 p.m. a big storm with heavy rain and lots of lightening started. It was one of those storms where people drive 5 mph and have their emergency flashers on. I sent Kelli a voice text saying that I may have to call the search off for the night because of the storm. I wanted to keep going to see if the storm would stop by the time I got there, although it didn’t look good. I could handle the rain because I was going to get wet anyway. But, with 2 lightning rods in the form of a metal sand scoop and handle in one hand and a metal detector in the other and standing in the ocean would probably not work out to well for me.

When I got to the beach, the storm had stopped. I walked out on the beach and found the reference points Kelli shared in her photos. It wasn’t that big of a search area, and I did my normal grid search. From Kelli’s explanation, I really expected her rings would be on the lower part of the sloop. I worked from the high tide line out to knee deep on a falling tide and only found 2 fishing weights. I expanded my search to the south, with no luck and then tried to extend it to the north. It was getting dark by then and I was just about to call it a night. That’s about the same time a family of 5 or 6 decided to come out and shoot off very loud fireworks. I called it a night and sent Kelli a text saying I couldn’t find them. I didn’t say anything to Kelli, but I had already made up my mind that I was going back in the morning at low tide.

I arrived back the next morning at 10 just before low tide and started a fresh grid search. I was able to go from the dry sand to about knee deep.  From the pictures Kelli sent, I knew I was looking for white gold rings, but I did confirm it with her. With that in mind, I knew the VDI (visual display indicator) numbers on the Equinox 800 would be in the low single digits for the engagement ring (2-6) and middle to low double digits (9-12) for the wedding band. I started to the south of the southern mark in the pictures and worked north. I was less than 10 lines over when I hit a solid 6 on the VDI. Bingo! This should be the engagement ring. A couple of scoops of wet sand and I had her engagement ring. Ok, so the wedding band should be within a few feet. I searched and searched both north/south and east/west from the engagement ring spot, nothing. In the process I lost my spot so, I started on my last grid line and started working north. A few yards away and higher on the slope I got a solid 9, I had the wedding band. Again, a couple of scoops and saw the wedding band sticking out of the sand.

Kelli had told me that they were leaving that morning to go back home, so I would have to mail them back to her. I made my way back to the car, rings in my pocket and text Kelli with a picture of her rings saying, “GOOD MORNING, what do you think? I think you’re getting your rings back!!!” She immediately responded, “Oh my god!!! I’m still in such shock! Thank YOUUU.”  I love the surprises and making returns. She got her rings back in the mail today, Thursday and as her picture shows, she’s very happy!

Kelli – Thank you for trusting and allowing me to help find your precious treasures. I wish you all the best.

Jim

 

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Man’s Rose Gold Wedding Band Lost in the Ocean, Found and Returned Myrtle Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On August 18, 2026, and just before noon, I saw a Facebook recommendation on a lost ring in Myrtle Beach. Shortly afterwards, I received a text message from Haley saying, “Hello, My husband lost his wedding ring on August 13th in Myrtle Beach. I was wondering if you would help us try to find it. It’s very special to him. Please let me know if you are able to help and I can send more information.” I immediately replied asking her to call me. When she called, she told me they were behind the Hampton Inn & Suites in Myrtle Beach. She also said that he lost it on August 13th at 7 p.m. When I checked the tide tables, it would have been about 2 hours before high tide. My biggest concern was that it had been out there for 5 days. With all the locals and tourist hunting the beaches with detectors, I’d be surprised if it was still out there. I did a quick Google search for the address and saw that the Hampton was on the south end of Myrtle Beach. It was also away from the main hotels lining the beach and kind of set off by itself. This could make a big difference in the number of people hunting the beaches there. I checked the tide tables for the 18th, and it showed the cycles reversed and low tide was just before 7 p.m. I told her I’d get there about 5 p.m. and would do my best.

When I arrived, there was no one on the beach. Haley had mentioned that her husband, John had been to the left of the lifeguard stand when he lost his ring. I called Haley just to confirm that I was lined up with where they had been. John got on the phone, and I told him I was in front of the lifeguard stand and facing the resort. Then I asked him whether I go to the left, or right? He replied to the left. Taking all the clues Haley and John gave me, like time and tide, how it came off and a few other things; I was expecting to find his ring on the low side of the sloop.  I started an east/west grid search from the left of the lifeguard stand, down the slope and out to about knee deep. I decided to extend my search out into the ocean, just to make sure. I was on maybe my sixth or seventh grid line and about three quarters of the way down the sloop when I got an iffy signal and started digging. After 5 days of continuous sand movement, I figured the heavy rose gold ring would be deep. It took 4 full scoops of sand to get the target out of the hole. With each scoop, I’d check the hole and the target was getting stronger and reading between a 13 and 15 on the VDI (visual display indicator). These are great numbers for a man’s Rose Gold ring. When I had the target on the beach, I spread the sand out with my foot and saw John’s Wedding band. I cleaned it off and took a short video of me holding the ring and sent it to Haley, then called her. She was shocked and said she was not going to tell John and let him be surprised. I had to call her back for something and she told me then she couldn’t hold it in any longer and told John. She said he was overwhelmed. I got their address and got the ring in the mail and on its way home.

Today, Monday I got a text from Haley saying, “It’s on his finger!!!! Thank you so so much. We will get that picture tonight.”

Haley – Thank you for contacting me to help find your lost treasure. Best wishes to you and John!

Jim

 

 

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Yellow Gold Loop Earring Lost in the Sand, Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On Monday, August 24, 2026, I received a voice mail saying in part, “Candy, lost a ring on North Myrtle Beach. Give me a call back and I just wanted to discuss fees.” When I called her back, she told me that a yellow gold loop earring had been lost in the dry sand and asked what I charge. I explained the details on cost, and she asked if I could come. I told her I’d be there in 20 minutes, grabbed my Equinox 800 and hit the road.

I called Candy as I was walking out on the beach and she waved me down. I found out that Becky had her earring fall out of her ear and she showed me a 2’X2’ square where the ring should be. I asked Becky for the other earring so I could test it. After switching to ‘all metal’ mode, I got a loud and clear signal. I asked Becky and the 3 other ladies to move their chairs. As Becky picked up her chair, I swung the coil over the area and Boom! I had her earring in my hand before she set the chair down. Becky was extremely happy as this was a past anniversary present, and tomorrow just happens to be her anniversary.

Becky and Candy – thank you for calling and trusting me to find your lost treasure.

Jim

   

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