60-year-old high school class ring found on Jersey Shore returned to Nebraska owner

A New Jersey metal detectorist found a gold Crete High School class ring on a Belmar beach and, after checking the school's 1966 yearbook and working with a local foundation, helped return it to owner Barbara Wielage in Nebraska.

A New Jersey metal detectorist found a nearly 60-year-old high school class ring on a Belmar beach and worked to return it to its owner. The ring was discovered during low tide near 19th Avenue and bore an inscription linking it to Crete High School, Class of 1966. Ciffer contacted the school and a local library in Nebraska to identify the owner. A school foundation later helped connect him with Barbara Wielage, and the ring was returned. Known details: - Andrew Ciffer found the gold ring on the morning of Aug. 3 while metal detecting near 19th Avenue in Belmar during low tide. - The ring was engraved with "Crete H.S.", "1966" and the initials "BW." - Ciffer and a friend determined the ring belonged to the Nebraska school rather than a similarly named Illinois school and contacted Crete High School. - A librarian checked the 1966 yearbook and identified a match by initials, and a Crete Public Schools Foundation helped reach owner Barbara Wielage about two weeks later. - Wielage lived in Boston for about 50 years and does not recall when she lost the ring; how it arrived on the Jersey Shore, roughly 1,350 miles from her Nebraska hometown, remains unknown. Summary: The ring was returned to Wielage and the Crete community thanked Ciffer for his persistence and kindness. Undetermined at this time.