Take a look at the photo of this ring. It was found stashed away in a suitcase in the Syracuse suburb of Solvay. The ring displays the number 22 and the letters M-O-J-A. The person who found it is searching for the meaning behind the symbols.

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The Theories

The mystery ring was first shared on the reddit /r/WhatIsThisThing forum. Seeing the initials, someone thought it might tie into Mount Olivet Junior Academy of Fort Lauderdale Florida, but that is likely a dead end.

Other theories get more interesting.

Is the ring military? The 22nd Regiment of the New York Calvary mustered near Rochester during the Civil War. But the letters don't appear to relate to any battles the regiment fought in.

Could there be a Masonic connection to the ring? Members move up through masonic orders by degree. Could this ring belong to a 22 degree Mason?

The Answer

In fact the ring is Masonic in origin. According to members of the reddit /r/FreeMasonry forum, the ring belonged to a member of a defunct group called the American Men of Jerusalem, Chapter 22. The organization disbanded in 1931, and a Google search turns up no results for the American Men of Jerusalem. But knowing reddit's hive mind, I suspect the person who found this right in his uncle's effects in Solvay, may be able to get some more answers about the history of the ring.

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