Prospector finds huge gold nugget, even though it's 2016 and not 1851
"Striking gold" is mainly a term to express when someone gets really lucky nowadays, but by golly, someone has actually done it.
A 145-ounce gold nugget has been reportedly found in Victoria, Australia by a real life prospector and could be worth more than A$250,000 ($190,710) when it goes to auction. The big 'ol nugget has been named "Friday's Joy" on account of the day it was found.
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Image: minelab
The anonymous prospector initially found a nine ounce tennis ball-shaped gold nugget two feet deep, returning the next day to see if there was more, according to a statement from metal detector manufacturer, Minelab. And alas, gold was struck. Eureka!
“About 12 inches below the ground, I could just barely make out the top of something. As I began to scrape away the clay and dig deeper, I really couldn't believe my eyes — this wasn't an old piece of steel in front of me," the prospector said in the statement.
"I had just unearthed a colossal gold nugget — a once in a lifetime find! I was in total disbelief as I didn't think nuggets of this size were still around."
Image: minelab
The gold nugget is apparently now safely stowed away in a bank vault, but the prospector did hide it in their oven the first night after it was discovered.
"It's like catching a big fish and not knowing what to do with it! Where do we put it? I washed it in water, covered it in aluminium foil and kept it in my oven on the first night," they said, now planning to purchase a van and travel Australia with their newfound wealth.
