The hunt continues: Bismarck man spends 80 years collecting more than 600 rings

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - It started with a box top and a dime. Eighty years later, Frank Johnson is still sending off for mail-order rings.

The way he shops has changed, thanks to technology, but the items he buys have stayed the same.

Johnson has collected more than 600 rings, and he’s not done yet.

The first ring Johnson ever bought was a Lone Ranger atomic bomb ring. It cost him a box top and $0.10.

At age 10, Johnson had no idea what that purchase would lead to. His collection, eight decades later, has grown considerably.

“Last time I counted, I had over 600,” he said.

Each one of those rings is numbered and carefully cataloged in this binder. Johnson records the purchase date, the price he paid, and the current value of each ring.

These days, he buys most of his rings on eBay. A coworker introduced him to the website back in the 90s.

“And that was like introducing me to narcotics!” he laughed.

Johnson checks eBay every day. He sells things on eBay, too.

“That’s how I paid for a lot of them,” said Johnson. “People will spend $10,000 on a pleasure boat, and they’ll spend $75 to put gas in it or drive someplace, spend two hours in the afternoon, come home and say, ‘Wasn’t that fun?’ So I look at this and say, ‘Isn’t that fun?’ I look forward to getting one in the mail.”

As his 90th birthday approaches, Johnson is still collecting. He’s not sure his collection will ever be complete, which, if you ask him, is just fine.

“Most of my rings are metal, the kind that turns your finger green in 20 minutes,” he said with a laugh.

Because for Johnson, it’s not really about the rings; it’s about the hunt.

“Some people have to go to the bar to have fun. I have fun right here,” he said.

Johnson turns 90 in August. If you’re wondering what to get him, an eBay gift card is always a safe bet.