How to identify the ring

First, you heat the ring in a fire. Then you see if the following text appears on the ring while it is hot:

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.


If that text does appear, then the ring is nothing but trouble and you should throw it into a volcano as quickly as possible.