Re: Today's moral/detecting question...
Knitter... I couldn't agree more... You have to be able to look at yourself and KNOW you made the right decision!!
The right decision may not always be easy, but it's always RIGHT!!! 
I'm kind of surprised at some of the replies above... It's a sad world we live in for someone to be so greedy as to keep something just because they found it. Regardless of it's worth. I always held fellow detectorists in high regards when telling others about this hobby that I love so much. "Yeah, most metal detectorists are great people, and most would return property to it's owner if they could find them within reason." I guess I've been wrong all this time?? ? ?
I found a mans diamnond ring that appraised at $5,000 several years ago at a very small park and it had no identifying marks on it. But I still paid to have an ad ran in our local newspaper. It cost me a whopping $10 for 10 days. Didn't empty my pockets, heck I find that much in clad in a weeks time, most of the time. And I can look at myself and at least know I tried to find the owner. I did what I thought was right. No one claimed the ring and I had it for several years. Times got hard and I sold it for the melt down value.
Another time, me and a friend were detecting a volleyball court. He found one of those Gold Nugget pendants that were so popular in the 1980's. A kid came up to us and described the pendant to a tee. The kid was about 12-13 yrs old. Kind of homely looking and he lived in some apartments that owned the volleyball court we were searching. Said his Dad had given it to him as a gift, before he died. (True? not for me to judge!) I told the kid, no, I hadn't found it, but if I did I would be glad to return it. My friend told him the same thing. After cleaning out the volleyball courts and leaving, my friend says "Dude, I had that thing in my pocket the whole time." and started laughing...I told him I wouldn't be detecting with him anymore, because I didn't appreciate his dishonesty. If he could lie outright like that, whats to say he wouldn't do something underhanded to me also? I haven't gone detecting with him since, nor do I plan to. And as far as I know, he has stopped detecting because he has no one to go with. I say good riddance, our hobby doesn't need those types.
For you people that would keep it no matter what... Think about this, if someone cut off your mothers finger to steal the ring that her grandmother gave her, and the thief lost it as he fled the crime scene. Wouldn't you want it returned to your poor mom if someone found it? I know thats a bit extreme as an example, but stranger things have happened.
So to answer your question bergie... YES, I would return anything I found if the owner could positively identify it as being his/hers... And just seeing them smile at the return of their property, is reward enough for me!! Brings up a another question also... In Texas, it is illegal to keep something that is considered "lost". And, unless the person purposely throws it away, it is considered lost. Is it legal to keep lost property where you all live??
So, next time you folks wonder why you can't get access to land, public OR private. Just remember, it's your behavior as displayed above why anti-detecting laws are made... I know I sure wouldn't want you detecting on my property...
?
)
