unilad homepage
  • News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Biggest gold nugget ever found that weighed as much as a person would be worth an insane amount today

Home> News> Money

Published 16:42 13 Feb 2024 GMT

Biggest gold nugget ever found that weighed as much as a person would be worth an insane amount today

The 'biggest golden nugget' ever which weighs as much as an adult is now worth millions

Chelsea Connor

Chelsea Connor

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

The biggest 'nugget of gold' in the world weighed as much as an adult man, and would be worth millions of dollars today.

Gold-digging is a niche but, at times, financially rewarding activity, as miners have found gold worth millions over the years, but it's usually no guarantee that you'll make the big bucks.

However, miners John Deason and Richard Oats hit the jackpot back in 1869, when they found the discovered the monster nugget while digging in Australia.

Advert

Weighing in at 72 kilograms (11 stone), and measuring a huge 61 cm (24 inches), it was found in the roots of a tree, and was nicknamed 'Welcome Stranger'.

While gold is usually great for holding its value, the two miners took the nugget to the town of Dunolly where it was weighed at a London Chartered Bank, and were paid just under $10,000 for the massive chunk.

"It is a great story of two guys instantly becoming fabulously rich. In those days that didn't happen," said John Tully from the Goldfields Historical Society.

"Nowadays we have things like the Lotto where people can become millionaires overnight, but back then it didn't happen like that."

The biggest 'nugget' ever found.
Dunolly Museum

In notes from the time, Deason wrote: “I tried to prise the nugget up with the pick but the handle broke. I then got a crowbar and raised the nugget to the surface.”

Due to heavy inflation, the gold has soared in price and is estimated to be worth around $2 million in today's money.

While there are a few ways to mine for gold, many big finds have been through a basic metal detector.

The largest chunk of gold that has ever found by a metal detector weighed in at 875 troy ounces of gold (27kg) and was discovered by Kevin Hillier in Kingower, Victoria, back in 1980.

Called the 'Hand of Faith', it is now on display at the aptly named Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas.

The biggest nugget found by metal detector is now in a Las Vegas.
Ken Lund/Flickr

Gold retains such value that YouTuber Logan Paul tried to get in on the action, and asked a pawnbroker if he would exchange a Prime bottle made from 24-carat gold.

The pawnbroker examined the bottle, subsequently offering the social media star $25,000 for it.

However, Paul didn't stop there and tried to bargain, requesting $700,000 for the bottle.

Ultimately, it was decided no deal would be reached for the Prime bottle.

It was one of the bottles that was given away at the London and New York activations for the popular drink, with another being won by a young boy from the UK.

Featured Image Credit: Dunolly Museum

Topics: Money, News

Chelsea Connor
Chelsea Connor

Chelsea is a Journalist for UNILAD. Before this she worked as a Journalist and Comedy Writer for seven years, working for companies such as Newsquest, NationalWorld and Samahoma Productions. She became a qualified journalist back in 2017, completing a NCTJ at Liverpool City College.

X

@theccjourno

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • Getty Stock Images
    3 hours ago

    This is what your walk says about your personality, according to new study

    The study examined the way someone's gait reflected their inner emotions

    News
  • Getty Stock Images
    3 hours ago

    Expert reveals 3 red flag symptoms you should never ignore that will 'worry' your doctor

    A doctor has explained why it is so important to go to the doctor if you spot these symptoms

    News
  • X/@ICEgov
    4 hours ago

    ICE slammed for 'horrible' St. Patrick's Day post that's being called 'ironic'

    People had a strong reaction after ICE posted the image to its X page

    News
  • Alex Wong/Getty Images
    5 hours ago

    List of every country that has rejected Donald Trump and refused to join fight in Iran war

    Trump said the war with Iran 'is going great' as he updated press last week

    News
  • Staggering amount Iran war could cost the US economy as Donald Trump estimates how long conflict will last
  • Exactly how much money each person on Earth would get by splitting Elon Musk's wealth after $1 trillion Tesla deal
  • How much Bitcoin you need to have today to retire comfortably in 2050 revealed
  • China claims it has found another record-breaking gold deposit months after discovering $83,000,000,000 reserves