Lost Class Ring Returns to Pawtucket Alumnus
A metal detectorist found a 1964 St. Raphael Academy ring in Puget Sound and returned it to its owner's family after 47 years.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Awards
Metal detectorist Lucas Thrun returned a St. Raphael Academy class ring to Paul Benson in Pawtucket, 47 years after it was lost in Puget Sound. Thrun found the ring during a low-tide search in November 2025.
Why it matters
The ring was lost when a Puget Sound tide rolled in after Eric Benson, Paul Benson's brother, placed it on a beach rock. Its return shows how school engravings and alumni records can reconnect a long-lost object with its owner.
The ring was engraved with the school name and the initials "PEB" and was found in Puget Sound by Lucas Thrun, a metal detectorist from Seattle. The return took place after 47 years, with Benson traveling from Israel to attend the handoff.
The players
Lucas Thrun
Lucas Thrun is a metal detectorist from Seattle, Washington, who located the ring in Puget Sound and returned it in person.
Paul Benson
Paul Benson is a 1964 graduate of St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and the original owner of the class ring.
Eric Benson
Eric Benson is Paul Benson's brother, who borrowed the ring in 1979 and now lives in Israel.
The details
Thrun traveled across the country to return the ring in person. The alumni director and Thrun arrived at Benson's door while he was napping, and Eric Benson later traveled from Israel to attend the return.
Timeline
1964: Paul Benson graduated from St. Raphael Academy.
1979: Eric Benson borrowed the ring and took it to the West Coast.
November 2025: Lucas Thrun found the ring during a low-tide search.
Culture Shift
The return reflects how engraved school markings and alumni records can reconnect a keepsake with its owner decades later. It extends a pattern in which personal memorabilia recovered by metal detectorists is reunited with families through institutional networks.
Residents who hold class rings or other engraved keepsakes can use the same identifiers, such as school names and initials, to help trace an owner. The story shows that a lost ring can still be matched to its original owner through alumni contacts.
The takeaway
Engraving names, initials, and school details on personal items improves the odds that they can be returned if lost. Keeping alumni contact information current can also help reunite such items with their owners.
Further reading
Explore more Awards coverage for context on honors and keepsakes in Pawtucket.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WJAR.
