Wife scores a big one

spillercanyon

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Jan 4, 2012
269
466
California
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I have always wanted my son to catch the fever, he didn't but the wife did. She asked I take her prospecting last weekend so I took her to a small ravine below a lode claim I like to dig around on. She likes to dig cracks so I pointed out a crack I hadn't seen before and asked that she dig and classify it so I could take it home to pan, there is no water there except right after a storm. She was classifying the materials, scraping the dirt off the rock with the screen when she hands me what looks like a dirt clod and asks if this is gold. I knew by the weight immediately that it was. She had scraped enough dirt to reveal just a little gold. We washed it off with drinking water and we both began to laugh. I hope that I would have spotted it in the classifier but I can't say I wouldn't have tossed the materials, lesson learned, I will pile all my classified material and scan it before I leave. Besides this we found a picker and some color. Obviously the wife wants to go back.
 

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spillercanyon

Sr. Member
Jan 4, 2012
269
466
California
Primary Interest:
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Took a look back at some pictures I took in 2015, the red dot marks where we found the nugget a week ago. Looks like my son and I missed it by about 6 inches when we worked that area. Worked right where the water currently flows and I'm now moving over and digging the bank on the left, the direction of the lode claims. Never know how close you might be to a BIG nugget! :headbang:
 

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The Aluminum Monster

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Mar 18, 2015
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New Bedford, MA
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That's a fantastic specimen and needs to be up top! GAH! I wish we had those here on the east coast!
 

mytimetoshine

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Jun 23, 2013
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El Dorado County
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Nice! Every prospectors dream right there.
 

Asmbandits

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Mar 4, 2014
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NorCal
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What a great find and story, you guys just missed it prior! Makes me re think some of my hot spots lol.
 

Oct 5, 2014
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Congratualtions on the very nice specimen! :occasion14:
 

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spillercanyon

Sr. Member
Jan 4, 2012
269
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California
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That's a fantastic specimen and needs to be up top! GAH! I wish we had those here on the east coast!

There aren't too many out here this size, that's the best, BY FAR, of what I've found after 40 years and 1000's of pans. I love looking for gold and I love finding big nugs but I have to say, any shine in the pan makes me smile (though it takes a nug to make me laugh). Try the south or come out west some time.
 

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spillercanyon

Sr. Member
Jan 4, 2012
269
466
California
Primary Interest:
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Went back a few days later and hiked out 2, 5 gallon buckets of dirt and ran it through a newly finished recirculating sluice. Here is what we found.
 

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arizau

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May 2, 2014
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AZ
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Went back a few days later and hiked out 2, 5 gallon buckets of dirt and ran it through a newly finished recirculating sluice. Here is what we found.

Think what you might be able to do with a dry washer. The two of you could move much more material and really kill it.:thumbsup:

Good luck.
 

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Goldwasher

Gold Member
May 26, 2009
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Sailor Flat, Ca.
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Think what you might be able to do with a dry washer. The two of you could move much more material and really kill it.:thumbsup:

Good luck.

I agree looks dry enough. That slate can hold a lot of gold. I see a lot of material to be ran in the picture shown.
 

triple d

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Nov 17, 2013
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" Banner" Plus A Beauty of a rock. Can you let a few of us borrow it. So we can plant it in the yard. To get the wifes interested.
 

tokameel

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May 20, 2012
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YO Don't break that apart Its worth far more than gold as a specimen. What a rare and valuable find I would say 3K to 4K on this gem

What excellent advice! I am not a gold monger, but if I was ever put in that situation, I would have torn it up. Thanks
 

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