One of the biggest thrills in metal detecting is when you find your first ring. Over time, I have collected many rings, and the excitement never gets old!
One of the added benefits to finding rings, is sometimes you get to return them to the owners, which is very rewarding.
How to Find Rings With a Metal Detector
To find rings you must use your metal detector in areas where people gather, such as parks, homes, beaches, resorts, and playgrounds. The best way to look for a ring is by sweeping your detector in a grid pattern, making sure not to miss any areas.
Many people love to metal detect for rings at beaches and swimming spots. These can be hotspots for lost jewelry, such as rings and other items.
You can also get hired or paid, to find people’s lost rings. This has happened to me more than once. I have even offered to do it for free and was still compensated, how cool is that?
Let’s look at some examples of how to find rings with a metal detector, and how you can improve your metal detecting skills.
Can a Metal Detector Find Rings?
Yes, metal detectors can find rings. Metal detectors can find most metal objects. As long as the ring is made with some type of metal, you should be able to pick up the signal with your metal detector.
There are many places where you can look for rings with a metal detector. You may have even lost a ring yourself and would like to use a metal detector to find it.
A pinpointer (small handheld metal detector) can also be used to find rings or to find a metal object, in a plug or hole. These are small handheld metal detectors, that make it easier to find something after you have located the position with a larger metal detector.
I have even used pinpointers in small yards, and under bleachers at sports fields, to find surface items, or items just under the surface.
Want to learn more about accessories? Read our article for Metal Detecting Accessories and Tools
Will a Metal Detector Find Gold Rings?
Yes, a metal detector will find gold rings because gold is a type of metal. Gold will give a certain signal number or tone when you sweep across it (depending on the type of metal detector.) Source.
This makes it easier to locate gold objects since you can look primarily for objects that fall in that signal, range, or frequency.
When looking for gold rings with a metal detector, there may be many other objects that give off the same range of signals, such as nickels, and other types of metals.
The shape of a ring can change the sound or signal, since it is round, it will make a nice solid signal unless it is turned upwards, then it could be a faint signal.
There are even metal detectors that are optimized for finding gold. Source.
See our article for Best Places to Metal Detect
I have found many rings, including gold rings! I found my first gold ring using the Ace 300 on a beach. It was one of the most rewarding finds. You can find that metal detector here.
How to Find a Ring With a Metal Detector (With Steps)
Once you have found a location where you think you may be able to find a ring, you can start by using these step-by-step instructions on how to find a ring with a metal detector.
Step 1
Create a visual grid of the area. You can look at the area, a park, or a beach, and choose a smaller area to hunt in a grid style.
Step 2
Swing your metal detector back and forth across the grid areas, so that you do not miss any part of the section.
Step 3
Once you locate a target, start to dig into the ground. You should dig a circular plug. Look in the plug for the target (hopefully a ring.)
Step 4
Once you have located the target, remove it, and put the plug of dirt you pulled out back into the ground and cover it to make it look nice.
That’s it. If your target is a ring, you will be able to locate it in the ground, remove it from the ground, and fill in the dirt. Simple as that.
Examples of Where to Look for Rings
Now you know how to look for rings with a metal detector, let’s look closer at what types of locations may have rings.
Beaches
Beaches are one of the number one spots to look for a ring. This can include ocean beaches and swimming beaches at lakes and ponds, or any type of swimming spot. People who swim tend to lose things, including rings and jewelry.
These are high-traffic areas, that replenish themselves. So even if the spot has been metal detected multiple times, as long as new people keep coming, new treasures will be found.
Parks
Parks are the next best place to metal detect for rings. Parks yield all kinds of items such as rings, jewelry, coins, and other cool stuff. Many people have picnics, and host events such as BBQs and concerts at parks.
This makes them a hot spot for finding lost rings. Just like beaches, they also replenish themselves with new items, as people keep visiting the parks.
Homes
Someone’s home is the most likely place a person would lose their ring. We spend a lot of time in our homes and on our property. The back and front yards are places where people could have lost a ring.
I always start with metal detecting at my own home or properties, and they have always yielded great results.
You may get called to someone’s home to help look for a ring that has recently been lost. These can be extremely easy to find since they are usually on the surface, in the grass, or the dirt.
Resorts
Resorts are places where people go to have fun. While having fun it can be easy to lose objects, like rings. Resorts also attract people with money. This means there may be valuable jewelry, such as rings to be found. Places that get a lot of traffic, and attract people with money, are great places to find lost treasures.
Playgrounds
Playgrounds are my personal favorite place to metal detect for rings. Parents accompany their children at playgrounds, and children also wear jewelry such as rings. When playing on play equipment it can be easy to lose stuff.
I always go to the playground first when I go to a park, to check for rings and other items like jewelry and coins.
What Types of Rings can you Find with a Metal Detector?
Metal detectors can find any kind of ring that has metal in it. It cannot find plastic rings or rings that are made out of materials that lack metal. Here are just a few examples.
- Engagement rings
- Wedding rings
- Friendship rings
- Costume jewelry rings
- Cheap rings
- Expensive rings
- Metal rings
As long as the rings on this list have metal in their composition, they can be found with a metal detector.
How to Find a Ring Without a Metal Detector
You may not have a metal detector, which means you cannot use one to find a ring. I have a few tips for finding rings and other treasures with just your eyeballs and hands.
If you are going through the grass, and you have lost your own ring, then getting down on your knees and picking through the grass is the only way you will find it. This means looking really hard and using your hands to feel for it. Use a grid pattern, to hunt in smaller sections.
If you want to find rings at different locations without a metal detector, then I suggest looking under bleachers at sports fields. I have found many rings with just my eyes, looking underneath the bleachers. In every new town, I go to, the first thing I do is look for the baseball fields, and walk the bleachers.
See our article for How Do Metal Detectors Work
Conclusion
Finding rings with a metal detector can be easy to do once you know where to look for them, and how to look for them. I hope this guide has helped you learn some of the techniques that are involved with metal detecting.
You will probably not find a ring on your first try, so you will have to be patient! You find a lot of junk, but you will eventually find that ring, that old coin, and that relic, that you have been longing to find!