found_objects community. I felt it was a very serendipitous and surprising find, but one woman claimed that they were probably found on the ground by someone who hung them for the original owner to backtrack and eventually find; that's what they [supposedly] do in Chicago.
That sounds a little magical and at the least a little fishy, because normally if I find earrings, I find single ones, not pairs. (Naturally, I keep them; they're always costume jewelry.) In fact, a friend of mine who's an artist only wears single earrings she's found on the street. These are silver and well-made; in truth, there's almost zero chance they would have ended up with the person who lost them. (Sorry to burst your bubble.)
What should I have done with these earrings when I found them?
Left them for the rightful owner to find and cherish forever
0(0.0%)
Kept them—after all, finders keepers, and it's a busy street
3(60.0%)
Sold them for scrap because silver is over $35 and ounce nowadays
0(0.0%)
Donated them to Housing Works or other worthy charity
0(0.0%)
Other which I'll explain in the comments
2(40.0%)
