"It was about 5 inches underground, believe it or not," Johnny said.

"That was my first actual gold ring that I've ever found, which was amazing. I was floored, but saw the inscription in there and kind of felt like I can't really enjoy this find unless I put an effort forth to find the owners."

He said some online detective work helped him identify the owners from the inscription and he was able to find their contact information.

The couple said they were excited to have the original ring back.

"It's crazy when you think about it. That ring was in the dirt longer than it was on my finger," Dave Napoli said. Truly a new year's miracle that really only happens once in a lifetime. Once again, thank you John for being a good soul.

A Pennsylvania woman recently received a similar unusual call after a man walking on a beach found her mother's high school class ring, which had been lost 50 years earlier.

Stephanie Livelsberger said her mother had lost the ring decades before her death 19 years ago, so it was a shock when The Steelton-Highspire High School alumni association told her the item had been found.

Pittsburgh resident Timothy Noll said he had found the ring on a beach during a vacation years earlier, and recently contacted the association for help finding its owner.

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