Lost Ring Found

This is the most valuable ring we have ever found, yet what makes it even more precious is the fact that we were able to return it to the owner.

We had met this couple last Sunday while we were detecting our favorite beach. They told us that they had only been married for 8 months and that the grandparents had taken the original silver band and had it "platinum" coated.

He had only had it back for 6 hrs when they came to a private party here at the beach the night before.They asked us if we would try to find it and showed us the part of the beach where they thought it was lost. But they said that it was very possible it was in the water too.
platinum ringWe searched the entire day looking for it and came up with nothing. Carol had grid the area where they had their tables set up and I was checking the water. We left that evening disappointed that we could not find it. They had given us the grandparents phone number just in case we did find it, because the couple lives in New York.

This past July 4th weekend we returned to the beach determined to find it. We searched all day Friday and Saturday for it. By Saturday evening we still had not found it and couldn't figure out why. We decided to go get something to eat and come back. The high tide was already in and we were tired.
The sun was beginning to set and we wanted to take some pictures. We grabbed the camera and the Spectrum and went for a walk along the beach. We went all the way to the end and found nothing but pulltabs and junk.
On the way back we sat down to rest in the area where the party was. I gave the Spectrum to Carol and said, "Here, you give it a try." She took it and started checking by a log and came up with 2 bottles of beer that were left from the party. We thought, "Ok, cool!" and cracked one open. She started gridding the area close to the log and then did some wide sweeps where they had the tables set up.

Happy coupleShe was pulling bottlecaps and these little "lobster" hand washing packets, which give off nice solid signals. She had pulled about 5 of them, and I was heading over to her to say, "Let's go." As I was walking toward her, she looked up at me with a surprised expression.

When I reached her she stuck up her thumb and this huge wedding band was on it. Well, I couldn't believe it when she put the ring in my hand. We stood there just "shocked." And kept saying, "Wow I don't believe it."
We headed for the car and went to the nearest gas station and called the grandparents, and offered to drop it by their home.

The grandparents were excited when we got there. They said that the son and daughter-in-law were in town, but had gone out for the evening.
We told them that we would be at the beach in the morning detecting. We went to sleep that evening feeling so good inside and relieved that we had finally found it.

The next morning we were out detecting the beach and the couple showed up about 10 am. They came to personally thank us for finding it. I took the above picture as a remembrance of the wonderful feeling we had to be able to return a ring. They gave us a reward of course, but it was not necessary, we now have two wonderful new friends which are more valuable than gold.

Apparently, the unique design for the wedding band was due to the fact that they were engaged in Las Vegas, and so kept the theme for the wedding.
(XLT/custom mode)