Mark Gibson, a treasure hunter from Wyoming, Minn. has found 42 rings in Port Aransas in a little more than four months, including a Texas A&M class of 2003 ring that belonged to Kim Prukop. Gibson returned the ring to Prukop after searching for her on social media and mailing her a postcard saying that he had found it.
After seven years, Kim Prukop’s Aggie ring was found on the beach in Port Aransas by Mark Gibson, a treasure hunter. It was safely returned to her and she will wear it from now on, unless she is on the beach.
He’s been a successful hunter.
Since starting several years ago, he and his metal detector have found dozens of pieces of jewelry, thousands of coins and more during visits to 40 states. That includes 42 rings at the beach in Port Aransas since November.
Gibson began this journey in 2013. He and his wife, Shari, retired and were out the front door of their Wyoming, Minnesota, home. (Yes, there is a town named Wyoming in Minnesota.)
Gibson began metal detecting as a hobby around the same time he retired from his job working in a machine shop. That hobby has become something like a part-time job, he said. He spends many hours at it, and he has made a little money from it.
“He works very hard at it (detecting), but the joy he receives from it is priceless,” Shari said.
She supports his time spent on the beach and is keeping four rings that he found this year. She already has sized them for her wearing pleasure.
Jewelry for Shari is not the only thing Gibson is searching for. He enjoys finding historical artifacts the most, he said.
“I spend about five or six hours on the beach detecting a day,” Gibson said. “I’m not in it for the money. I want to preserve history.”
Wherever he goes, he educates himself on local laws on what finds he may keep, and he follows those laws, he said.
He said his love for treasure hunts began when he started reading about Mel Fisher, a renowned treasure hunter.
“I loved treasure hunting stories when I was a kid,” said Gibson.
He said there are three keys to being a successful treasure hunter.
“It’s about patience, perseverance and experience,” he said. “I try to learn something new every time I go out.”
Knowing your metal detecting equipment well also is important, he said.
He gets asked often what his most rewarding find has been, he said. His response: A one-cent coin minted in 1848 and two rings.
One ring was an 18-karat gold wedding band that is valued at more than a $1,000.
The other was a class of 2003 Texas A&M University ring. He found the Aggie ring during his current stay in Port Aransas.
The 42 rings he has found on the beach in Port Aransas is 17 more than his 2016 total. He also has accumulated $173.50 in coins he has found on the shore here.
In addition, he found a pair of topaz earrings in the sand. It was only the second time he has found a pair of earrings together.
He attempts to locate the owners of the jewelry when possible, he said. Most times, there are not enough clues to get a lead on who a ring or watch belongs to.
After Gibson found an inscription with a name inside the Aggie ring, he and Shari set about trying to locate the owner. Her name was Kimberly Hawes.
They tried through Facebook, but that didn’t work. Shari then found the woman’s address in the white pages and mailed her a postcard. Hawes, whose last name now is Prukop, received the postcard at her home in Rio Medina.
Prukop’s mother and father in-law, Kathy and James Prukop, who own a house in Rockport, drove to Port Aransas and picked up the ring on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Prukop said she lost the ring while on the beach in Port Aransas with her family in Spring 2010 – seven years ago. The ring slipped off her finger when she stuck her hand in the sand, she said.
Prukop expressed heartfelt thanks to the Gibsons, and said she was amazed that someone would go to so much trouble to track her down.
“It’s nice to have people take the time to do something like that,” said Prukop. “I‘m happy to have my original ring back.”
She purchased a new Aggie ring while the old one was lost. Now she has gone back to wearing the old one.
“Hopefully, I will never have to wear the new one again,” she said. “Plus, the old one has a story to go with it now.”
Gibson was also happy the owner could be found.
“It was so rewarding,” he said. “The fact that she was so happy made my day.”
He enjoys hunting on the beaches and even helps people who lose metal objects like keys on the beach. He also carries a separate bag for trash. He disposes of paper and cans that he finds while he hunts for treasure, he said.
Gibson plans on continuing his treasure hunts. He and Shari’s next stop will be Sebastian, Florida, part of what is known as the Treasure Coast. It is also the locale of Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum.
“The treasure in all of this is the travel, adventure and the sunrises,” Gibson said. “I’ve traveled all over the country, and Port Aransas has the best sunrise.”
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