They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but it seems as if St. Augustine beaches have been extra lucky as of late in finding special treasures washed up in the coast.
37-year-old Joseph Cook, a metal detecting-enthusiast, recently discovered a $40,000 ring in the sands of Hammock Beach.
“When I first found it I thought it would just be a nickel, but then I dug it up and it was just this big old diamond and platinum ring,” Cook said, according to SWNS.
In the video posted of the find, Cook claimed it to be the “biggest diamond” he’s ever found on the beach.
After bringing the ring to a jeweler, Cook discovered the piece of jewelry was worth around $40,000. This led to him immediately posting across social media in an attempt to find the owners.
Cook eventually started receiving calls from an unknown number, which is continually skipped over at first, according to his social media. Eventually the number began sending over pictures and messages that led him to realize this was the owner of the ring.
Cook said that he did not receive anything for returning the ring, except “good karma.” This karma came back for him quickly as he soon after found another diamond ring on the beach.
“I kid you not, I messaged a jeweler, you want to know what happened? I literally just got done messaging him, I dug another diamond ring,” Cook said in a recent Instagram reel. “Karma is real.”
A comment under this same post, from the alleged owner, Tiffany Howard, reads, “I am still in shock that my engagement ring spent several months in the ocean, churned up by a hurricane and found by you! Even more shocking is your persistence in finding me to return it!”
In a reply, Cook jokes, “…PS don’t take it to the beach again.”
Another interesting find along the St. Augustine shoreline includes a 1930s trunk that washed ashore near Fort Matanzas National Monument on Friday.
Park workers shared images of the weathered trunk on their Facebook page. They discovered that the almost-century old steamer trunk belonged to brand “Neverbreak Trunks”.
“A team of park staff went in to investigate this suspicious package,” the Facebook post states. “While nothing of interest was found within this trunk, it itself is a unique piece of history.”
Recent hurricanes hitting the not-so-Sunshine State have uncovered much hidden treasure (or not as much treasure – including some human remains) along the coastlines. Other recent finds include a Spanish coin that is believed to be a relic from an 18th century shipwreck.