Awesome metal detecting find. What a cool thing to find. I have always wondered about lost stashes of gold in placer country, ether from one of the original prospectors who got too much to carry out and never came back to collect it (or forgot where he put it) or from one of the workers who HI graded (stole) something and hid it. I know it is possible. Years back, I hid in the fall a bunch of crevice tools on the side of a mountain and when I got back the next summer, I could not locate the spot again. Not much of value, but it brought home the point to me that it is very possible.
Note, this was not found by myself, but by the President of AMRA,Shannon Poe, a 5013c non profit organization that charges 200 per year to mine their claims, and they take that money and spend it to protect the rights of small miners. I personally know some folks that were busted this summer by Fish and Shame, and AMRA got them and attorney, and have already was able to have their dredge released, and the Deputy DA has made it no secret that he has NO interest in taking this losing case to trial.