#Maine Metal Detector Service Tag | The Ring Finders

Sterling Silver Ring With Pink Sapphire, Lost In The Norway, Maine Snow, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

On Thursday, December 5th, 2024,  I was returning home from Portland, Maine, when I heard my phone ring. Once home, I had the following message on my Facebook Messenger and a voicemail, on my phone,

“Hello! I just left you a voicemail, my name is Sarah, I’m working at Club Rowe in South Paris. I was outside at the Guy E. Rowe School by the pavilion when my ring fell off my hand into the snow. The kids here and I have been working hard to find it, but no luck. If you can get back to me to talk further it would be deeply appreciated! Thank you so much”.

I immediately called Sarah back and told her I could absolutely come up and help search for her ring. Sarah told me that it was a Sterling Silver Ring, with a Pink Sapphire stone. Sarah also told me she knew the area, she had lost their ring in. She was standing just outside a gazebo, when the snow started sliding off of the roof. Sarah jumped from just outside the gazebo, over the bank of fallen snow and landed, under the roof, of the gazebo. As she was jumping, over the snow bank, she felt the ring come off. Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure which way the ring had gone. I told her no problem, I could search the areas, in front of where she jumped, in the back of her and to the sides. I couldn’t imagine the search area would be any larger than a 25’ X 25’ area. I told Sarah I would leave shortly, as soon as I could get all my gear loaded. It was now approximately 12:00 noon.

Once I got on the road, I called Sarah and told her my ETA was approximately 1:25pm, depending on traffic and weather issues. Sarah told me it had started to snow again, in Norway and they had already received approximately 3-4 inches of snow, so far. As I was driving, I was only encountering light rain and drizzle, until I was in the Poland and Oxford, Maine area, when I started encountering snow. Wasn’t snowing hard and should cause no issues in my search.

Once I arrived, Sarah immediately came out of the schools daycare and after a few pleasantries, she walked me over the area she had lost her Sterling Silver Ring in. As I surveyed the area, I thought to myself that this should be fairly quick. Sarah gave me another Sterling Silver Ring, to setup and test the detector with. No issues and Sarah was able to see how the detector would sound, when my coil went over the ring. I told Sarah she didn’t need to stay outside with me, while I searched, since she was working with the children, in the Snow Day daycare.  Once Sarah went in, I decided to search the area to her left and to the front, of where she was standing m when she jumped. This would be the same direction her body was going, when she felt the ring come off. After 5-6 minutes of searching and a few targets investigated, I hadn’t found the ring. I then decided to search the area, behind and to the right, of where she was standing, prior to jumping, over the snowbank. Approximately 2-3 minutes of searching this area, my metal detector started screaming at me. I just knew this had to be the Sterling Ring. The VDI number on my Minelab Manticore’s screen was reading 78 and this was definitely, in the Sterling Silver range. I got my pinpointer out and plunged it into the snow. Once I located the target, I started pushing the snow away, with my pinpointer. I then saw the ring and pink stone. I had found Sarah’s ring.

A few minutes later, Sarah came outside with the children and I called her over. Pretending to not know exactly where she had been standing, when the ring came off, I started to ask her a question, about where she was standing. As she got closer, I asked her if she recognized the ring, on my detector. Sarah was extremely surprised and happy to see up her ring, sitting on my metal detector. If you would like to see the video, of her being surprised, you may find it on my Facebook Page.

Nothing better than to be able to help people, like Sarah out, in their time of need.

18K Gold Cartier Ring Lost In The Ocean, In Scarborough Maine, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

Saturday, June 21st, 2024, I had been searching for a lost Silver Chain and Religious Cross, in the Camp Ellis beach area, of Saco, Maine. I had arrived there at 4:45am, to take advantage of the low tide. At approximately 7:30am, I was still searching, when I felt my phone vibrate, signaling a text message had come in. The message said

“Hi there, I’m interested in your ring finding service. I lost a ring yesterday at Scarborough Beach State Park”.

I immediately called the number back and found myself talking to Julie. Julie explained that she and her husband, Drew, had gone to Scarborough Beach State Park, in Scarborough, Maine, to beat the heat. The previous days temperature, was in the mid 90’s and humid. Julie explained that she was wearing her 18K Cartier Ring, when they arrived and noticed it was missing, while swimming, in the ocean, just before they left at 1:30pm. I told Julie that I would be willing to search for her Cartier Ring, but it would need to be when the tide was near the same, as it was, when she noticed it missing. I told Julie, I would call her, when I arrived home, from the chain and cross search. I needed to figure out the best time to conduct my search, with the tides, working in my favor.

When I arrived home, I called Julie again and the tides would work well, if I started my search, between 1:30pm and 2:00pm. Julie agreed to meet me at Scarborough Beach State Park, at 1:30pm and show me the location where she and Drew, had spent the day, staying cool, by swimming, in the ocean. Julie and Drew, showed me where they had placed their towels, on the beach. They also told me that they spent a lot of time, in the ocean, swimming, way out and well over their heads. They told me that they did not leave the area, of their towels, other than to go swimming. The Cartier Ring, had to be out there, somewhere under the water and I will search the exposed wet sand, as the ocean receded, until, hopefully, the ring was no longer, under the ocean water.

With the high tide, now 2 hours behind us, this was approximately the same tide timeline, that Julie noticed her ring, was missing. The search would need to be horizontal, to the water and I would start at the bottom of the slope, leading to the wet sand, from where their towels were. What we didn’t know was at what point did Julie’s ring, slip off of her finger? Was it when the tide, was closer to the shore? Did it slip off her finger, when the tide was further out? Don’t know and that is why I need to methodically search the entire area. She and Drew, told me that they had swum way out, into the ocean, a few different times, during their day at the beach. Could it have been lost out to far, for me to recover? If the wet sand wasn’t going to be exposed, by the low tide, there was no way, that I could go 30, 40 or even 50 feet, out into the ocean and search for her ring. The water was just going to be to deep.

As I searched, I wasn’t finding many targets. A few pieces of aluminum, bottle caps and one penny. I was finding more ferrous targets, than non ferrous items, but I wasn’t going to dig the ferrous items. Time was to precious and I needed to search the entire low tide area. I then received a signal that got my heart to jump. A nice low tone and VDI reading, of 12-23. Definitely within the gold range. After digging the hole, I saw a gold ring, with the infinity symbol. I motioned to Julie and her husband, to come down, from where they were watching me from. When they arrived, I asked Julie to describe her ring, exactly. She told me it was a band, with small circles, all around the outside of the band. This was not her ring and Julie went back up to the towel area, to wait for me to find her ring. Over the next hour or so, nothing of any substance, was found. Julie and Drew, came down to see me and tell me that they had to leave and get back home, to Auburn, Maine. Auburn is approximately a 45 minute drive, North of Scarborough. Julie looked very sad and disappointed. She asked if I could contact her, if I find her ring. Of course I will.

After they left, I picked up, right where I left off and there was approximately 2 hours to go, before low tide. I need to find this ring, but time and real estate, was running out. As I worked my way further and further away from the shore, I still wasn’t getting many signals, as I caught up to the receding waters. Just before 4:30pm and nearly 3 hours, into the search, I heard the unmistakable low tone, that I had been hoping to hear. The VDI was reading 12-20, a fantastic reading and one that got me smiling. I took a scoop of sand threw it up onto the wet sand, away from the water. I still couldn’t see the target so I used my pinpointer to search the pile of wet sand. I located the target and when I brushed the sand away, I could see a beautiful gold ring. As soon as I saw the circles, on the side of the band, I knew I had found Julie’s Cartier Ring. A look inside the ring showed the Cartier name and Au 750. Definitely 18K and definitely Julie’s ring. I was ecstatic and immediately took a few photos and sent a text, to Julie, telling her, “Got It”, along with a photo of the ring. Such a great feeling, when I am able to send a text like that. When I didn’t hear back, from Julie, after a few minutes, I called her and she told me her phone was almost dead and hadn’t received the message yet. She called me back on her Drew’s phone and she was extremely excited and happy to hear the news, that her beautiful Cartier Ring would soon be back on her finger. I then sent some photos, to Drew’s phone. I immediately received a response and she said
“Oh my goodness. That’s it. Thank you!!!”

She also sent me another text a little while later saying

“I still can’t believe it!!! I’ve been telling everyone. I will call you at 7!☺️☺️☺️”

She did call me and we made a plan to meet up, in the morning, to return her ring.

We met up at the Saco Hannaford and when I saw Julie, it was a smile from ear to ear and I don’t think her feet were touching the ground. She was extremely happy to have her ring back, after approximately, 27 hours, under the water and sand. Julie and Drew couldn’t have been any happier and I just love knowing that the 18K Cartier Ring was now back, with the rightful owner. What a great feeling, knowing I could help her, in her time of need. Since Julie prefers not to have her photo, on social media, I have respected her wishes and included only a photo of me.

Gold Ring, Lost In The Snow, in Bath, Maine Found 3 Months Later, With A Metal Detctor

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

On Saturday, April 20th, I received a text, from Sandra. The text said,

“Hi! I saw that you do metal detecting. A few months ago I lost my mother’s ring. She passed away last month and I’d like to try to find it”.
I replied to Sandra, by asking a few questions,

“Sorry to hear this. A few questions.
1) Do you know where it was lost?
2) Is this private or public property and do you have the authority to let someone metal detect at the property?
3) What kind of ring is it and the metal it is made of?
4) Where are you located?
Thank you,
Dennis”
Sandra replied by telling me,
“Hamilton Audubon sanctuary in the parking lot. I don’t think it would be an issue to check there. I’m not 100% sure that’s where I lost it. But if it’s findable it’s there. Probably along the edge in the grass. It was winter. I am unsure what type of metal. It may have been sterling silver. I am in the Bangor area. Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary is near Bath. I don’t have any time to come down in the next few weeks. I also don’t have anyone in the area. I think I lost the ring out of the parking lot within 5-10 feet of the edge. So hopefully it didn’t get plowed. Also if it’s in the grass hopefully no one else found it”.

I then told Sandra that I would Contact the Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary, a division of Merrymeeting Audubon and Maine Audubon, to receive permission to metal detect, on their property. Metal detecting, on someone’s property, without permission, is illegal and you take the chance of being arrested and having your detector confiscated.
I called the Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary and sent an email, as well. With it being a Saturday, I told Sandra that it would most likely be Monday, before I heard anything back from them. She concurred.
I did hear back from Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary, on Monday, April 22nd, and they granted me permission, to search for the ring. Maine Audubon was also very helpful and supportive of my efforts, to try and recover the lost ring. They even told me the plow may have moved it, further back from the parking lot. I communicated with many people from The Maine Audubon Society, Merrymeeting Audubon and, of course, Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary. They were all, incredibly kind, in granting permission and were really hoping for a successful recovery, for Sandra.
I let Sandra know about the permission and told her that my wife and I would travel to Town of West Bath, about 60 miles, from our home, in Saco, Maine and search for the missing ring on Friday, April 26th. Sandra was happy and hopeful that her ring would be searched for and found.
On Friday, my wife and I traveled to Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary and pulled into the parking lot, at approximately 8:45am. Only one other car, was in the small parking lot and I parked on the far right side of the lot, and decided to start my search on the grass, near the right side entrance. Not certain of the metal, the ring was made of, I would be checking out lots of different targets.
I had searched for about 10 feet, when I received that sweet low tone of gold. Unfortunately, foil, pull tabs, and other low conductive metals can also give me that low tone. Another good sign, was the 12-13 reading, on my Minelab CTX-3030 detector. The 12 would represent a Non-Ferrous metal and the 13 would represent the conductivity, of the metal. Definitely in the gold range, but I really didn’t think I would find it, in under 2 minutes. After all, it was next to the parking lot and road, where lots of trash could have accumulated. As I brushed back the leaves and grass, with my hand. I came across a White Gold Ring, with a Blue Center Stone and 2 small diamonds, on each side of the blue stone. I couldn’t believe it. Not even 2 minutes, my 1st target, turned out to be Sandra’s Mothers Ring, or at least I thought. After all, Sandra was unsure of the metal, the ring was made of and she had never told me if the ring was a band or had any stones. I decided to text Sandra, to let her know I arrived at the location and would like a description of the ring, not telling her I had just found a ring. Sandra texted me right back and told me the following
“Silver with a blue center ring and 4 small diamonds”. Well the color is silver but the metal is definitely white gold and is stamped as such, on the inside of the band. I then texted her back saying, “Awesome. I found it”. I then sent her a photo of her ring. She replied, “Omg that makes me so happy! Thank you so much! It means so much that you found it. It’s been keeping me up after she died so thank you”. I just love being able to help people, like Sandra.
I was able to call and talk to Sandra, Friday night, after she got home, from work. She was extremely happy and thankful, about getting her ring back soon. Sandra detailed the events, leading up to her losing the ring. She had traveled to Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary, on that day, in January, from Portland, where she was visiting and staying, in a hotel. When she arrived at the Sanctuary, she was leading a group of birds watchers, through the Sanctuary. As the walk started and still in the parking lot area, she noticed her ring was no longer on her finger. The group was standing in snow, just outside the parking lot. She wasn’t sure if she lost it in the snow, or had lost it in Portland, that morning. She searched the snow, but it was useless, as she could not see anything, below the top of the snow. As the days, turned to weeks, which turned into months, Sandra was still thinking of her Mother’s lost ring and then,her mother passed away, in March. This really made Sandra, determined to find the ring. She then performed a Google search and found me. At this point, she contacted me and the rest, as they say, is history.
Although we won’t be meeting up, in person, to return the ring, I could just feel her excitement, on the phone. I will be mailing the ring back to her, on Monday. We live just over 3 hours from each other and neither one of us will be traveling near each other’s town, anytime soon.
I just love being able to help people out in their time of need.

Wedding Ring Lost And Found, In A Gorham, Maine Potato Field, With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

I received a text from Jenn, on January 21, 2024, with the following message

“Curious as to what you charge? My son lost his ring in our potato field this fall “.

I explained to Jenn that I do not charge for my time or service. All I ask for is a Transportation Call Out Fee, to cover my gas, tolls, wear & tear, etc. I then told her for me to travel to Gorham, ME, my Transportation fee would be $25.00, and that’s it.

Jen replied with

“I know an approximate area. We were digging a row when he stopped by to help. I probably don’t know the exact row now but general area. I would say it covers maybe a half acre but probably less. I would think early spring when snow is gone and I can see where rows were would be best in narrowing things down. “I used a metal detector one day and found some very large nails, but did not find the ring. “That could be do to operator error”.

I replied,    “Absolutely willing to help”.

Jenn replied,

“Great, his ring is tungsten. I will reach back out when I can see the ground and narrow down the search area. How “deep” do the detectors go? The day we were working, we would run the old potato digger down thru the row. We would then pick up these large clumps of weeds and dirt and throw in the previous row, then run the potato digger back down the row to uncover more potatoes.  So there is the possibility it came off while throwing weeds and dirt and be buried that way or just buried from the digger”.

Jenn then told me she would reach out to me in the spring, after the snow melted and the ground wasn’t frozen. Jenn and I did communicate, in mid April. Because of our individual schedules. We booked Tuesday, April 23rd as the day I would go to her farm, and search for her son’s wedding ring.

I arrived at her farm, in Gorham, at approximately 8:30am. We made small talk and she told me the story of her farm. The name of her farm is Findview Farm and has been a generational working farm, since 1820.  WOW, a farm serving the local community for over 200 years. I love supporting these farms and local businesses. 

I then started searching for the wedding ring, after Jenn showed me the approximately 1/2 acre potato field. I decided to perform an East/West grid, across the width of the field. I searched for approximately 3 hours that day with my CTX-3030 detector, with a 17 inch coil, to cover as much of the field as possible. I ended up finding 4-5 spent shell casings, other small brass items, nails, pieces of old farmhouse equipment, etc.. Unfortunately, no wedding ring.

I told Jenn I would return, in the next week or so and this time, I would bring a smaller coil, to see if I could get better depth, in the deep troughs, of the potato rows. My 17 inch coil couldn’t get down into the actual rows, that had been plowed and would just glide over the top.

On Sunday April 28th, I returned to Findview Farm and resumed my search. While I was searching, Jenn’s son Tom, came over. It was Tom’s ring, that was lost. Tom explained that he felt the ring coming off, as he was throwing some of the potato plants, out of the rows, after harvesting the potatoes, themselves. A visual search was not successful. Tom also pointed out the area, of the field m he thought the ring would be in. Unfortunately the field had been plowed, last fall and the ring may have been moved or pushed down deeper, into the fertile farm soil.

I then went to the area that Tom pointed out. I would perform a North/South grid today. I wasn’t finding many targets at all. After approximately an hour and 45 minutes I received a nice, repeatable tone and a 12-32 on my detector screen, indicating a non-ferrous target, which I was hoping for. The target was in one of the deep troughs of the potato rows. I dug about 4-5 inches down and couldn’t see anything. I took my pinpointer and located the target, in the hole. I started to wipe away some of the dirt and I saw the ring, I had found it. I the called Jenn and She and Tom, came right over, from the corn field, out back that they were working in.

I showed them the hole the ring was located in and they were both extremely happy. After approximately 7 1/2 months, Tom was wearing his wedding ring again. I absolutely love reuniting people with their lost items.

Property Marker Found With A Metal Detector, In Cape Elizabeth, Maine

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

On Tuesday evening, April 9th, I received a call from Angie. She and her husband, Adrian, had purchased a home in Cape Elizabeth, last fall. They now wanted to put a fence up, in their backyard. The fence would run from the back right side of the property, to the back left side of the property, only. No fence would be put up alongside the home, or in the front. Unfortunately, they were unsure where the exact property line was, in the backyard. They had been quoted $3000.00 for a survey of the property, but if we could find the markers, they could save the $3000.00. They had a map of the property, showing the distances between the property markers but were not exactly sure how to start.

Now, property markers can be tricky because of many different factors. Are they even made of metal? There are lots of granite and rock property markers, here in New England.

I once was called to search for property markers, when a neighbor was caught, moving them. All I found was a lot, and I mean a lot of nails.

Another time, I searched for 4 property markers, finding just two. The other two, had been moved or washed downstream, in a flood, which also changed the direction of the stream. The same flood caused road damage and a new culvert was put in, either moving the marker or burying it, with all the fill that was used for the new culvert. I also know that people have removed property markers, because they were in the way, when mowing the lawn. So, as you see, property markers may be a hit or miss proposition.

I arrived at Angie and Adrian’s home promptly at 8:00 am. I was told that a neighbor had a property survey performed , a few years back and the neighbor had a property marker put in, on the left backside of the backyard. As we walked to the right backside of the property, Adrian also showed me a granite marker, in the ground, on the left front side of their home. Adrian was not sure if it was an actual property marker or not. Once we arrived at the right backside of the property, Adrian told me that the telephone pole on the far side of the property, was supposed to line straight up, to the right backside property marker. As I lined up the telephone pole, to close to the street, where the right backside marker should be, I received a strong Ferrous signal, on my Minelab CTX-3030 metal detector. After digging the target m it turned out to be a rather large and old nail. As I started swinging again, I received another strong Ferrous signal, less than a foot from the nail. I dug the target and SUCCESS, we had found the metal rod property marker. I then told Adrian, that I would like to measure the distance between the property marker, I just found and the granite marker, on the right front side of the house. The distance should be 103.67’. I then secured one one of my 300’ tape measure and walked it down, from the granite marker, to the metal rod marker, I had just found. When I looked at the measurement, I had to smile, as the measurement was exactly what it was suppose to be, 103.67’. We just verified the granite marker was, in fact their property marker, for the right front of the house.

I then wanted to measure from the marker, I had found, to the marker that the neighbor had put in a few years back, and near the telephone pole. The measurement should be 207.87’. As I arrived at the neighbors marker, near the telephone pole, I looked at the tape measure and we had another match. The measurement was 207.87’, just like it was suppose to be. Now, just one more marker.

I walked the tape measure down to the left front of the house, from the neighbors marker, in the back left of the property. The measurement should be 103.67’ and when I got to 105 feet, I stopped and started searching, with my metal detector. I found another 5-6 nails, but no marker, in the area, it should have been. The area has been disturbed, as there is a culvert, telephone pole, looking fairly new. There is also a rock wall that looks fairly new and could have been built over the marker.

Angie and Adrian were extremely pleased that I was able to find their one metal rod properly marker and then measure it out, to the known neighbors marker and the granite marker, in the left front of the property. They can now use the $3000.00 they didn’t spend on a property survey and put it towards their new fence. 

Men’s Wedding Ring Lost In The Snow, While Ice Fishing On A Maine Lake, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

On Sunday January 21, 2024, I saw a text, on my phone, that had come in at 10:44am. It was now 12:40pm, 2 hours later. The message stated

“Hey, I lost my wedding ring yesterday while ice fishing in east waterboro. I am relatively certain that it is somewhere on this approximately football field sized patch of ice underneath an inch or two of snow. I found your number online. Do you have the opportunity and ability to search for it at some point”?

I immediately called back and told Luke that I was available to go search and could be there around 2:00pm. He had lost his ring, he thinks on Little Ossipee Lake, in East Waterboro, Maine. This was about 20 miles from my home. Luke told me he was home with his infant daughter and would not be able to meet me at the location until his wife, returned home , in the late afternoon. Luke sent me a photo of the area he had been ice fishing in, along with the address, of his friends lakefront camp, they had been at.
I arrived at the address right at 2:00pm, after a 30 minute drive. I saw the tracks and ice fishing holes, on the ice, that were in Luke’s photo. I texted Luke and let him know I had arrived and with such a large area to cover, should I start on the right side of the area or the left. Luke said the drilled holes on the right side 1st and drilled more holes to the left. The area may have contained 10-15 ice fishing holes, plus all the tracks going from hole to hole. I decided to start where Luke had started and detected the tracks, to the holes on the right side, of the area. Being a frozen lake, with approximately 2 inches of snow on it, I was moving along quickly, with my 17 inch CTX-3030 coil. Being above the lake, I was receiving absolutely no signals at all and this expedited the search.
After approximately a 1/2 hour, I received the unmistakable low tone sound of gold, along with a VDI reading of 12-19. Definitely a great Non- Ferrous target, in the gold range. I took out my Garret Pinpointer and located the target. I started wiping the snow away with my pinpointer and I saw the outline of a Gold Wedding Ring. I had found Luke’s Wedding Ring.
I sent Luke 2 photos of the ring and his reply was “You Are The Man”. I then asked Luke if he lived local because I could bring him the ring, where his wife was still not home. Luke provided his address, about 10 miles away and I drove right over and gave him his ring back. Luke was smiling ear to ear and said his wife is going to be so excited and happy.
I just love being able to help and return such sentimental and precious items to people. Although the temperature was only 16 degrees and I was detecting in the wide open, in the shade, I warmed up really fast when I saw the ring. Another happy day, all around.

Wedding Ring Lost In The Leaves, Found With A Metal Detector, In Standish, Maine

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

On Saturday evening, November 11, I received a Facebook PM, from Steve. The message said

“I am David * ******** **** brother and I live in Standish. I lost my wedding ring in my driveway and unable to find it. can you help and how much would you charge”?

I immediately message Steve back and told him I had worked with his brother and would be willing to to help him but that I was unable to search, because of my knee replacement surgery, just 5 days earlier. I asked Steve if he or someone else could search, using my detector. I told him that I would get the Minelab CTX-3030 all charged up, programmed for what we were searching for and all someone would need to do is slowly swing the coil over the ground. I also asked Steve, where the ring was lost, and how?Steve messaged me right back and said he could do the actual search. He also said that he was moving some wood, from the side of his home, to just outback of his house and when he finished, he noticed his ring was missing. He said it would be along the driveway, to the pile of wood outback. Not very much of an area and the ring would definitely be in amongst all the fallen leaves, in or along the driveway.
We then made plans to meet at his home, in the morning, around 8:00am. My wife would drive me and I would just make sure Steve has a properly working metal detector and my guidance. My wife and I arrived at approximately 8:20am as the 40 minute drive was longer than I expected. Steve was there to greet us and the three of us exchange pleasantries and small talk for a few minutes. I then asked Steve to show me where the ring was lost and the route he was using between the wood piles. When Steve showed me the area, I knew it should be a fairly quick search, as the area was not very large. I then turned my detector on, got it ground balanced and gave Steve a quick tutorial. I also put my wedding ring amongst the leaves and Steve was able to hear the tone and see the screen.
As Steve stated the search, he almost immediately received a signal, which sounded good but the VDI screen was saying it was 5 inches deep. We did ou due diligence and checked the leaves and the top of the soil, with my pinpointer. It was not the ring and we did not dig the target to find out what it was. Steve stated swinging again and within 2 minutes had a very good target. My wife put the pinpointer into the leaves, found the target and pulled out Steve’s Gold Wedding Ring. The entire search lasted just 3-5 minutes. Steve was extremely happy and grateful to have his ring back. I just love finding people’s lost items and seeing the looks of happiness across their faces.

Gifted Necklace From Grandfather Lost On A Beach In Saco, Maine. Found with a Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

I received a message from Gary, a friend and fellow detectorist. Gary told me about a lost necklace and it was just 3 1/2 miles from my home, that he had seen on a Facebook post. Would I be willing to look for it? Of course, a lost necklace in my hometown is a given. I took the information and contacted Ashley, the originator of the Facebook post. Ashley told me the necklace belonged to her daughter, Kalleigh and Kalleigh was upset she lost it because the necklace was a gift from her Grandfather. Ashley described the events leading up to the necklace being lost on Bay View Beach, in Saco, Maine. I sent a photo of an aerial view of the beach and asked Ashley, if the areas I had marked, on the photo, were where she thinks the necklace was lost. Ashley replied yes but they had also been about another 100 feet, further south and she sent me a photo with an area marked off. In total, I was looking at an area of approximately 250-300 feet long, running parallel to the shore and about 30 feet deep, from the high tide mark to the dune grass. I then Told Ashley that I would go down to Bay View, 1st thing in the morning, when the sun came up.
I arrived at the Beach at 6:30am and admired the sun, which was just starting to rise. A beautiful scene, as always. I decided to start my search where they had been on the beach and work my way towards the lifeguard station, where Kalleigh realized the necklace was missing. I performed a grid search, starting parallel with the water. I broke up the approximately 250-300 feet by breaking the area down to 4 quadrants and slowly gridded each area. Not many targets either. Other than a quarter, there was nothing else, other than an occasional pull tab and the metal handle of a few sparklers. As I was about to finish up my 3rd quadrant, I received a signal that kept bouncing between 12-45 and 37-47. The first set of numbers indicated a non-ferrous item, most likely a dime or quarter. The second set of numbers were definitely a ferrous target. Depth on my CTX-3030 was indicating 4-5 inches deep. I then took my scoop and pulled out the sand. The target wasn’t in the 1st scoop of sand. I took out my pinpointer searched the hole with it. Once I found the target, I scooped a handful of sand and there it was, the gold necklace. I had found Kaleigh’s lost necklace. I immediately took a picture of the necklace and sent it to Ashley. Her reply was, “OMG, Thank you so much. She is going to be so happy “. Ashley and I then made plans to meet up a little later and return the necklace.
When Ashley and Kalleigh arrived at my home, I could see Kalleigh’s very large smile just beaming, as the walked across the street, towards me. Those smiles are the reason I absolutely love doing this. There is no better reward that to see pure joy and happiness on someone’s face. I then learned that Kalleigh’s grandfather had personally made the necklace and gifted the necklace to Kalleigh for Christmas, 2 years prior. This is the absolute best job in the world and on top of all the smiles, I got to see a beautiful sunrise.