He thought it was a really nice watch box that he was selling for $10!

What he didn't know until after he sold it was that his wife's ring was in it -- her wedding ring, that is. Her 23 THOUSAND DOLLAR wedding ring, THAT IS.

Racquel Cloutier from California told ABC, "He didn't know that before I went to the hospital, I put my ring in that box. I wanted the ring to be in a safe place and out of reach from my 2-year-old twins."

Her husband Eric and the kids were participating in the neighborhood garage sale, and he thought it would be fun for the kids to clean out the house while mom was still in the hospital.

"I go into my husband's closet, can't find the box, and then he tells me he sold it. I said, 'You sold it? What do you mean you sold it?' I immediately started crying," Cloutier said.

"I'm very, very, very upset," Cloutier continued. "I'm trying to remain optimistic, but I don't know anymore. There's a small chance whoever bought the box doesn't know the ring is in there."

Did they get the ring back? No. But, you would hope that the lady they tried describing would hear this story and bring it back.

$23,000!!!

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