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Lost for 10 months – A Wedding Ring Recovery for Dusty in Jefferson County

  • from Knoxville (Tennessee, United States)
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I received a call from a lady named Dusty who had lost her wedding ring in her backyard about ten months ago. As you can imagine, after that much time had passed she had nearly given up hope of ever seeing it again. The ring meant a lot to her, and she had searched for it several times herself but just couldn’t locate it.
Dusty explained that she believed the ring slipped off while she was working outside in the backyard. She had looked over the area many times, but as most people quickly discover, a small gold ring can disappear instantly in grass and soil.
As I often tell people, time is usually of the essence when a ring is lost, but it’s never too late to look. Rings can sit hidden in the ground for months or even years waiting for the right metal detector to pass over them.
After searching online for help, Dusty came across The Ring Finders and my page, Phillip Mendez – Ring Finder, and decided to reach out.
When I arrived at her home, we walked through the backyard and talked about the day the ring went missing. Reconstructing the moment someone lost their ring can make a huge difference in narrowing down the search area. Once we identified the most likely spot, I began a careful grid search with my metal detector.
Before long, I heard a solid signal in the grass. After pinpointing the target and gently moving aside the grass and soil, there it was — Dusty’s wedding ring, sitting just below the surface after ten long months.
When I showed her the ring, the relief and excitement on her face made the entire search worthwhile. Something she thought was gone forever was suddenly back where it belonged.
Recoveries like this are exactly why I love doing what I do. To many people it’s just a piece of metal, but to the person who lost it, it represents memories and a lifetime of meaning.
Another successful recovery and a very happy ending.

If you’ve lost a ring in your yard, park, or shallow water, don’t give up hope. Even if it’s been months, it may still be right where it was.
—
Phillip Mendez

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Girls Weekend at Norris Lake

  • from Knoxville (Tennessee, United States)
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Sometimes a fun weekend can turn stressful in the blink of an eye—but with the right tools and a little persistence, a happy ending is still possible.
I received a message from Annie, who had been searching the internet trying to help her friend Kelly recover a lost ring. Kelly and a group of friends were enjoying a girls’ weekend at a lake house. They were all hanging out on the upper deck, laughing and having a great time.
At one point Kelly threw her hands up in excitement—and that’s when disaster struck.
All three of her rings flew off her fingers.
Two of the rings landed safely on the deck, but the third ring completely disappeared. After retracing what happened, they realized the ring had fallen roughly 70 feet from the upper deck down to the concrete below. The group believed it may have bounced and landed somewhere in the leaves surrounding the area.
That’s when Annie reached out to me.
When I got the call, I knew time was critical. I only had about an hour and a half before sunset, and the lake house was about a 45-minute drive away. As any metal detectorist knows, daylight can make all the difference during a search like this—especially when leaves and debris are involved.
I loaded up my gear and headed out as quickly as possible.
When I arrived, Kelly showed me where she had been sitting on the upper deck when the rings flew off. After surveying the area below, it was clear that the ring could have bounced anywhere among the leaves and debris near the concrete.
I fired up my detector and began a careful grid search of the suspected landing zone.
About 30 minutes into the search, I got the signal I was hoping for. Just under a layer of leaves near the concrete, my detector locked onto a solid target.
A quick sweep of the leaves—and there it was.
Kelly’s missing ring.
The relief and excitement from the group was immediate. What started as a stressful moment during their girls’ weekend ended with smiles, laughter, and a recovered ring.
It’s always rewarding to help turn a lost moment into a found memory.
Another successful recovery—and another reminder that it’s never too late to search for something that matters.
Phillip Mendez
Proud Member of The Ring Finders

Equinox 900 TID 25

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White Gold Wedding Set lost at the beach…Recovered in Alameda!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

I was on a short holiday on the island of Kauai when I received a text message from Kimberly.  She had lost her white gold wedding set on the beach and contacted my good friend Jes Muse (also of The Ring Finders and creator of The Bay Area Bleepers YouTube channel).  Jes had provided my contact information to her since I am usually ready and available for all rings in the East Bay.

I sent a text back to Kimberly explaining that I was in Hawaii and would be flying back that day. I informed her that I wouldn’t be available until the following day but would be glad to assist. Additionally, I let her know that I would reach out to schedule a time to meet up for the search.

The following day was frustratingly filled with meetings, emails, and project issues, not the day one should have after a relaxing trip.  I ended up working late to get caught up and I had to let Kimberly know that the search would need to wait an extra day (not something I am accustom to doing).

Excited to get out and search, I took my kit with me to work so that I could travel direct to the beach in Alameda for the search.  I knew that the tides would be at their lowest just after quitting time and that’s when I would have the best search area.

I met Kimberly and her adorable children on the beach and she explained the situation.  I gave her and each child a cone to place where they thought the ring could be (a little fun and healthy competition). At this time, I had little doubts that I would find these two rings quickly.

I was humbled a bit, when after about 45 minutes of grid search in two directions I still had not uncovered the mystery.  With a little adjustment closer towards the water, I was on my fourth or fifth line, when I hit a sweet signal.  A perfect 7 in all directions, I was able to recover the diamond engagement ring without alerting Kimberly or the kids.  I swung over the hole again and a second perfect 7.

I called Kimberly over and informed her “I think there might be a ring underneath the sand here and it might be the match to this one…” as I held out the diamond ring for her inspection.  She was floored and had the absolute best look of disbelief, joy, and relief on her face.  Then with one last scoop…We Made The Recovery!!!

Both rings were safely extracted from the sand and as for the competition…turns out the little boy was closest.

Thank you Kimberly for taking me on this adventure with you and the children.  The look on your face when you realized I had found your engagement ring will forever be burned into my memory.

 

 

 

 

 

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

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Buried Cache of Gold and Silver Recovered on Out of State search in United States

  • from Las Vegas (Nevada, United States)
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Got a call from out of state, to look for a buried box of silver and gold and family items. A father, with dementia, had buried his savings somewhere on their four acre plot of land a number of years ago. It was thought to have been buried in an old military amo box about 4 feet deep. They had been digging areas with an excavator and sifting the soil for weeks. They purchased a two box deep seeking metal detector to no avail. Thus the call. There was quite a distance involved, but the challenge and agreements made, I succumbed. I committed to a two day search all expenses paid expedition. Since it was believed to be in a amo box, I brought a Fisher M97, my XP Deus 1&2 and an amo box for readings. Using my 13 inch coil, a modified relic program, searching with the coil about 9 inches above the ground and a lot of luck, I had a good hit, but high numbers. I knew a amo box would be high. I used a 4 foot steel probe and felt the soil was easier to penetrate than surrounding soil and I hit something solid, but not metal. Bring in the excavator! At 85 I don’t dig four foot holes. Two scoops, first hole, success!!!  Box was plastic but high numbers were because of the silver coins and bullion he had collected. The one gold coin didn’t seem to have much affect on the readings. Father united with his savings.

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IPhone lost in the Dry Sand, Found and Returned Myrtle Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On March 12, 2026, around 1:15pm I got a text message from Mike, owner of LMS Metal Detecting saying, Jim, you should be getting a call about a lost phone in MB up near the dunes. His name is Hunter. Just before 2 pm, Hunter called asking if I could help find an IPhone, I agreed, got the address and was on my way.

When I got to the beach access, I called Hunter to say I was there. He said he was about 10 minutes away but told me to go to the house on the left and somebody there could direct me to the location. Spencer and Scott had just driven in the driveway. We introduced ourselves and they showed me down to the beach and the area where they said the phone was pinging. I turned on the Equinox 800, took about 3-5 steps and got a booming signal with a VDI (visual display indicator) showing numbers jumping between 28-32. Bingo! I dug a shallow scoop of sand and uncovered the cell phone. The search lasted no more than 10 seconds. As we’re standing there, Hunter and Jacob walked out on the beach. This is when I learned the phone belonged to Jacob. He turned on the phone and said, “It works!” I could see the relief on Jacob’s face when he got his phone back and it worked.

Hunter – Thanks for calling me to help!

Jacob – Glad I could help find your phone. You guys have fun and be safe.

Jim

 

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Gold College Class Ring Lost from Beach Chair at Three Arch Bay Beach, Found

  • from Newport Beach (California, United States)
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Mobile Metal Detecting Service by Stan the Metal Detector Man .. If you need help, Call or text 949-500-2136


** James called me 4 days after losing his college class ring. He had been at Three Arch Bay in Laguna Beach,  CA. It’s was a family gathering on this private beach. He put his gold college graduation ring in the cupholder of beach chair. After leaving the beach he realized, he had not put his ring back on his finger.

He was given my contact information by another resident of this private beach. I got his story of the circumstances of the loss with a general location. That was enough to give me an area to search without having him meet me at the beach. It took about an hour to find his ring which must have fallen out of the beach chair as they walked off the beach.. Another successful ring recovery for a nice guy. It was my pleasure to help James.

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Lost wedding ring found at Ventura Harbor Beach by Dave The Ring Finder

  • from Santa Barbara (California, United States)
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If you’ve lost your wedding ring, bracelet, gold grill, necklace, or any precious jewelry in the sand at Ventura beaches—like Ventura Harbor Beach, Solimar Beach, Harbor Cove Beach, or nearby areas such as Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Carpinteria, or Santa Barbara—don’t waste time or money buying or renting a metal detector in Ventura County. Instead, hire the local expert: Dave MacDonald, Dave The RingFinder—Ventura’s #1 trusted metal detecting professional and ring recovery specialist.Dave is the “metal detective” who knows Ventura beaches inside and out, stacking the odds heavily in your favor to recover your lost item fast. With professional-grade equipment like the Minelab Manticore and years of experience finding rings in shifting sands, tides, and high-traffic spots, he gets results where DIY attempts often fail.
Call or text Dave MacDonald at 805-290-5009 right now to create a custom plan for your lost ring recovery in Ventura or surrounding areas. Serving Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, Santa Barbara, and all Ventura County beaches and shallow water spots—act fast before tides, beachgoers, or other detectorists move your jewelry!
Here’s a real recent success story from Ventura Harbor:I received a call on Sunday afternoon from George, who was heartbroken after losing his wedding ring the day before at Ventura Harbor. His family had spent time in two spots: the grassy area between Island Packers and the restaurants, and the beach across the street. The ring vanished sometime that morning to afternoon.I headed out at sunrise to grid the northwest quadrant of the grass—where George thought it was most likely lost. After an hour and a half of careful searching and finding only loose change, the ring still hadn’t turned up. I called George for more details on the beach location, and he mentioned struggling to set up a canvas canopy by burying the poles in the sand. That’s when it clicked—the ring likely slipped off during that exact moment!
The beach stretched about 300 yards, but with George’s directions, I started sweeping the targeted area. Just 10 minutes in, my Minelab Manticore hit a solid signal. I dug with my CKG scoop—and out came George’s beautiful gold wedding ring! I called him immediately with the great news and arranged a quick drop-off at his house. Another successful lost ring recovery at Ventura Harbor Beach by Dave The RingFinder!
Time is critical for lost jewelry in Ventura sand—tides shift quickly, sands move, and other people with metal detectors may search the same spots. Skip the hassle of metal detector rentals in Ventura or nearby (which often lead to frustration and no results). Trust the proven local pro: Dave MacDonald, Dave The RingFinder. Don’t hesitate—call or text Dave at 805-290-5009 today for expert lost ring recovery in Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara beaches, shallow water, yards, or fields. Ventura County’s top metal detecting specialist is ready to help you get your precious jewelry back! Visit davetheringfinder.com for more stories and tips.
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Yellow Gold Man’s Ring Lost in the Ocean, Found and Returned Myrtle Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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On March 8th, 2026, on my way to another search on Carolina Beach NC I received a text. The text said, “Hi Jim! My name is Sloan. I have been torn apart since last night. I was on the beach with my friends in Myrtle (Specifically right in front of Tin Roof/Hilton grand vacations to the left of the pier), and I’ve had this gold ring my dad gave me on that slipped off right when I wasn’t even mid-calf deep in the water. It was his ring since the 70s and I’ve had it on for 6 years, never fallen off. I am not too sure how you go about this, but I would love to talk more!” As I’m driving, I’m trying to formulate a plan on how the current search I’m going to and getting back to Myrtle Beach that’s about a 2-hour drive. The Carolina Beach should be fairly quick as it’s in the dry sand with no chance of the tide covering it up and the young lady knew the area. Looking at the tide tables for Myrtle Beach, low tide was at 5:30 in the evening. Everything considered, I could probably be in Myrtle Beach around 4 pm, so I called Sloan. When I called Sloan, she told me that she lost the ring about 2 am and knew the area well. I told her what was going on with me and that I could probably be there around 4. I asked if she could meet me and show me the area. Unfortunately, she had to be at work at 3:30 but could see if one of her friends could meet me and show me the area. Sometimes it doesn’t work out to well when the involved individual isn’t the one showing you where and adding other important details as we talk.

After a successful recovery/return, I called Sloan and she told me she had gotten someone to take her shift, and she would be there. We worked out the details, and I told her I’d be there at 4, and I would keep her posted. She told me it’d take her about 30 minutes to get there. Things were falling into place! I texted her when I was 40 minutes out. She responded that she was on her way.

Luckily, we both pulled into the parking lot at the same time. We met and it started raining. We waited out the downpour and made our way to the beach while it was still sprinkling. She was so helpful when we walked out on the beach. She walked right out to the wet sand, turned around and lined herself up with her landmarks. I turned my detector on and started an east/west grid search from the high tide line to about shin deep in the outgoing tide. This being a gold ring, I knew the VDI (Visual Display Indicator) number was going to be in the mid-teens (anywhere from 13-18 depending on the size of the ring and the karat). On my third line, I got a solid 14. This could be either the gold ring or a pull tab. As I stuck the scoop in the sand, I told Sloan that she might see me digging a lot, but some of it might be trash. As I pulled out the second scoop of sand, I saw the gold ring sticking out of the sand. I reached down, pulled it out and held it up for Sloan to see. To say she got excited would be an understatement. She was thrilled! She tried calling her dad to let him know, but he didn’t answer. She called her mom, who was also excited it’d be found.

Sloan – Thank you for trusting me to help find your lost treasure. So happy to help and get it back where it belongs!

Jim

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Platinum Wedding Band and Engagement Ring set lost in the Sand, Found and Returned Carolina Beach NC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)
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This search and recovery started with a phone call from The Ring Finder on Oak Island NC, John Fininnerin on Sunday, March 8th, 2026. He asked if I’d be able to take a search on Carolina Beach for a young lady who had lost her Platinum wedding band set. I agreed and he passed my name and number on to Kelsey who called. I wasn’t able to take the call at the time. When I called her back she told me that she had put her ring in her pants pocket. When she tried to get the ring out, it flipped out and quickly disappeared in the soft sand. She said she tried looking for it but hadn’t been able to find it. She also told me that she knew the area it disappeared. I asked her if she could meet me and that it’d take me about an hour and a half to drive the 70 miles. She agreed and sent me her address, which was right next to the beach access.

When I arrived in the parking lot, she was waiting. We walked out to the area and I turned on my Equinox 800.  She must have gotten there early to lay claim to the area, which was a little crowded with beach goers. The area was maybe 5X8 foot. Knowing the ring set was Platinum, I knew the VDI (visual display indicator) number display on the detector was going to be 10-11. It took a few minutes and a little outside the suspected area before I hit the 10 I was looking for. I had her rings in the scoop, gently shook the sand out and walked over and held the scoop up to her so she could see and retrieve her treasure. Bingo, she was trying not to, but a few tears appeared. She told me after the fact, that while she was looking for it, there were a few people helping. We both suspected that her rings were inadvertently moved in the process, which was why they were outside the suspected area.

Kelsey – Thank you for allowing me to help find your lost treasure. Best wishes to you and Thank you to your Husband for his service to our county.

Jim

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2xLOST, 100+yr OLD, WEDDING SET IN WILLOW SPRINGS, NC……FOUND!!

  • from Raleigh (North Carolina, United States)
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A friend of mine, Ray Mann, who is also a friend of Justin Wahrenburg, referred me to his neighbor whose wife had lost her wedding ring set in their backyard about a month ago. My friend Justin was actually my very first ring recovery I ever made as a member of “The Ring Finders.”

These rings were incredibly special — over 100 years old and originally purchased in Charlotte, North Carolina. Because of their age and history, they were truly irreplaceable in so many ways.

He contacted me, and I told him I could come out that same day to search for them.

After carefully scanning the entire backyard using a VDI range of 40–75 and not finding anything, I decided to adjust my settings to 35–65 and start again from the beginning. Within minutes, I got a signal reading VDI 37 and uncovered the first ring. About five feet away, I picked up another signal reading VDI 38 — the second ring!

Turns out I had simply missed them earlier because of my original settings.

Needless to say, the whole family was overjoyed. They had been praying and believing the rings would be found.

Her husband actually filmed the moment, and her reaction when the rings were returned was captured on video.

Moments like this are exactly why I love doing what I do — finding something so meaningful and getting it back where it belongs.

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Total ring recoveries since joining “The Ring Finders” 98-99 total!

Ring count for 2026: 5 (5 – recoveries)

GOLD – 5 (5 – recoveries)

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