In Northern California, one couple got quite a shock when they were out and about during a dog walk in their Gold Country estate.
Upon stumbling into a rusted canister nestled under a tree back in 2014, the couple assumed they had happened upon some kind of antique metal item - but they were in for an even bigger surprise after further examination.
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Taking the canister home with them, the American couple - who chose to remain anonymous - were thrilled to discover a huge stash of gold coins.
Cracking open the canister, the American couple were pleased to find $20 gold coins - all with perfectly preserved liberty head designs engraved on the front.
Slowly discovering their back garden was a treasure trove, the couple continued digging up seven more decaying canisters all over their Cold Country estate.
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As a reward for their uncovering, the digging duo found an impressive 1,427 solid gold coins.
Both valuable in currency and history, the hoard of gold dated back to nearly two hundred years ago in 1847.
A veteran antique coin collector, Don Kagin, gave his two cents on the amazing discovery.
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He said: "I don't like to say once-in-a-lifetime for anything, but you don't get an opportunity to handle this kind of material, a treasure like this, ever."
Kagin, who also represents the unnamed American couple, continued: "It's like they found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
The find amounted to 1,373 $20 coins, 50 $10 coins and four $5 coins.
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The husband commented on the matter, relaying his experience with the bizarre unearthing.
He said: "It was a very surreal moment. It was very hard to believe at first."
He admitted to being in such disbelief that he 'thought any second an old miner with a mule was going to appear'.
Kagin also shared the sentiment: "You hear all those Wild West stories of buried treasure, and you think they're fantasies - well here, this one really did happen."
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Dozens have since shared their reactions to the miraculous find.
One wrote: "I really want this to be someone that was struggling. Or someone that fully deserves such luck."
Others were hopeful the same good fortune could befall them.
"Get your spade out," one Facebook user wrote, while another noted: "You need to take a spade and a metal detector when on a walk."
The American couple have since listed the majority of the gold coins on Amazon's Collectibles site and donated a portion of the proceeds to those affected by homelessness in their local aream, alongside forking out 47 percent of the grand total to tax authorities.
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Topics: US News
Rhiannon Ingle