🥇 BANNER Incredible Gold Nugget found when detecting

[49r Relics]

The find of a lifetime for me and on my birthday to boot. Me and Ron Swenson Ron(CA) were out detecting an old site where I have found quite a few small nuggets a couple years ago and this was a huge surprise as I never expected gold to come in as a high conductor. This sounded and ID'd just like a silver coin would. I am lucky that I live in such a great place to detect, here in California's gold country. Every once in a while one of us comes across a big nugget like this while out detecting. The 49'rs didn't have detectors and where they didn't dig, there is still the possibility of coming across one of these

This live dig was caught on video . . . .

I know we say "Dude" alot but, Dude, we're from California!!

Thanks for looking!! Best birthday ever :-D

EDIT: 07-07-2014 - Several have asked me if this nugget is for sale, I am looking at all offers. Thanks!!

 

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[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Have you tried to get a density or at least a volume on that thing?

That scale platform specs at 2.875" a side, making the area of the hunk about 29 cm^2

Given the 118.5 gm weight, a volume of that weight (if pure/nearly pure gold) would be only 2mm thick at that area.

But this thing looks a lot thicker. Can you show a side view?

 

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[49r Relics]

Have you tried to get a density or at least a volume on that thing?

That scale platform specs at 2.875" a side, making the area of the hunk about 29 cm^2

Given the 118.5 gm weight, a volume of that weight (if pure/nearly pure gold) would be only 2mm thick at that area.

But this thing looks a lot thicker. Can you show a side view?

Here are a couple of pics of side view with a 1CM scale cube.

 

[49r Relics]

A few more pics:

Getting lot's of questions about whether or not I am looking to sell, Looking at all offers on this nugget ;-) A Huge THANKS to all of you for your comments and Banner Votes!!

 

[coinshooter]

Man! You crazy to sell that.
At a minimum you should wait till gold goes back up, but why not enjoy it for a while first?

 

[calisdad]

It sure cleaned up nice. A nugget like that needs a name.

 

[cw0909]

It sure cleaned up nice. A nugget like that needs a name.

"the 49ers lost nugget"
"the 49er nugget"

 

[minnesota outdoors north]

California here I come...wow!!!

 

[49r Relics]

It sure cleaned up nice. A nugget like that needs a name.

We started to call it the "T-Bone" Nugget because in the video I say "It's like a slab of meat, like a T-Bone" but there has to be a better name for it. Still thinking of one . . . .

 

[49r Relics]

Man! You crazy to sell that.
At a minimum you should wait till gold goes back up, but why not enjoy it for a while first?

I agree, not actively trying to sell but several were asking if I was at least taking offers. So, if the price was right I would sell but it would be sad to see it go to a new owner. Hoping that whomever buys it, it at least goes into a display of Raw California Gold. This nugget never saw a river and has never tumbled around, it may have been pushed around by a few ice ages (ice sheets in glacial periods) over the last millions of years but it is in it's original form, not shaped by tumbling through streams, creeks, rivers, etc.

 

[Goodyguy]

DUDE!!! Gnarly Nug !

GG~

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

A few more pics:

Getting lot's of questions about whether or not I am looking to sell, Looking at all offers on this nugget ;-) A Huge THANKS to all of you for your comments and Banner Votes!!

Thanks for those additional photos. Now I can see all that rock in there. I wonder what the actual gold percentage is. Can you ID the white? mineral? Can you do a specific gravity?

Given that cm scale cube the volume is obviously way too large compared to the target 2mm.

It almost looks plated or painted.

Would be neat to see it in hand.

 

[49r Relics]

Thanks for those additional photos. Now I can see all that rock in there. I wonder what the actual gold percentage is. Can you ID the white? mineral? Can you do a specific gravity?

Given that cm scale cube the volume is obviously way too large compared to the target 2mm.

It almost looks plated or painted.

Would be neat to see it in hand.

I don't know how to do a specific gravity test but I will look it up because I have several other nuggets that have quartz in them that I need to test as well. Other than just for the information and science, I don't really "Need" to test them for SpG because I won't ever sell them or value them just based on their gold weight as it is so subjective when pricing or trying to give a nugget a monetary value. It really depends more on morphology, and appeal along with percentage of gold and quartz.

I believe the minerals embedded are quartz as we all know the geological processes involved with the formation of gold. All of the nuggets I find that have quartz content from our area show a deep red/brown colored quartz, however occasionally we get lucky and see a nice bright white quartz. This nugget shows a bit of both colors. California Gold is amazingly beautiful right out of the ground but the photos do make the colors very deep. To hold it in your hand is absolutely unbelievable and very special. Most nuggets of this size and quality end up in displays and never get to be held and enjoyed.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Jolly balance. I made mine, after having used professional units.

Almost any college will have one you can use. Probably a modern type.

Here is the wiki Jolly balance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mine doesn't use a spring, it is small and uses a triple beam balance. Thousand'th of a gram, half kilo max.

Based on apparent volume from what the photos show your nugget might be almost a lode ore chunk. Is there a nearby hill?

 

[coinshooter]

Hey Mark,
Here is info on how to do a specific gravity test.
Desert Gold Diggers - Specific Gravity Test

 

[scaupus]

that foto startled me. Looks positively Australian.

 

[treblehunter]

Nice find, if I found that I would not sell it. You never know how much gold will be worth in ten years, your young, that is money in the bank

 

[l2hunt]

So excellent, thanks for the sweet video, just unreal!!

 

[strickman]

incredible ! what a beauty.amazing find of a lifetime!

 

[swatty]

Congrats 49'er, I'll bet it was well deserved.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

WOW! Awesome BANNER Find!
We are glad you filmed the dig, otherwise
it would seem other-worldly!