A local prospector in Victoria recently made a remarkable discovery using his trusty gold detector—an exceptionally large gold nugget. Weighing a whopping 4.1kg, this valuable find is estimated to be worth over $250,000. In a nod to the fortuitous day it was found, this magnificent nugget has been christened ‘Friday’s Joy’. The remarkable find occurred in Central Victoria’s renowned ‘Golden Triangle’, an area widely recognized for its rich deposits of high-quality gold nuggets.
An anonymous prospector, equipped with a Minelab GPZ 7000 metal detector, made a remarkable discovery recently. In search of more treasures, the prospector had returned to the site where, just a day earlier, they had found a gold nugget resembling a tennis ball in shape. Initially mistaking it for worthless debris, perhaps an old horseshoe, the prospector soon realized that there was something more valuable hidden beneath the surface.
Carefully scraping away the layers of clay and delving deeper into the earth, the prospector’s disbelief grew with each passing moment. A nugget of such significant size was not something they expected to stumble upon. Astounded by their find, the prospector marveled at the fact that rare specimens like this still exist in our modern world.
For over ten years, the prospector and a tight-knit group of friends have been embarking on adventurous quests in the hopes of uncovering gold, ancient coins, and historical artifacts. An unwavering bond amongst them has been formed, as they had agreed to share the spoils whenever they struck gold. Every significant discovery has been cause for celebration, as they would gather to raise a glass of beer in acknowledgment of their success.
Upon stumbling upon a remarkable nugget, the prospector found himself unsure of how to handle this newfound treasure. He likened the situation to catching a massive fish and feeling clueless about what to do next. Pondering over the right course of action, he decided to give the nugget a thorough cleansing using water, carefully wrapping it in aluminum foil, and securing it within his oven on that initial night.
Now securely safeguarded within the confines of a bank vault, the precious nugget waits anxiously for its forthcoming journey to the auction block.
Named in honor of the day it was discovered, the remarkable find in Victoria’s famous Golden Triangle has been dubbed “Friday’s Joy”. This renowned area, often referred to as a golden pentagon, is situated between Ballarat to the south, Wedderburn to the north, Tarnagulla to the east, and Ararat to the west. Historically, the Golden Triangle played a significant role in the early Gold Rush period of the 1850s, and although Western Australia surpassed Victoria in gold production during the 1980s, this region continues to ignite the excitement of gold fever among hopeful prospectors. Even as recently as last year, a hefty 3.5 kg nugget was unearthed, reaffirming that the Golden Triangle’s generosity knows no bounds.
‘Friday’s Joy’ is not the largest gold nugget ever discovered in Australia. That title belongs to ‘The Welcome Stranger,’ which was found in Moliagul, Victoria in 1869 and weighed an astonishing 72kg (2300 ounces). Although ‘Friday’s Joy’ is currently stored in a bank vault, a replica is being made.
The prospector who made this find has no plans to give up his day job but intends to purchase a van and travel across Australia.
Dermot Henry, the acting head of sciences at Museum Victoria, stated that the Victorian goldfields have historically had the highest concentration of gold nuggets and have produced more sizable nuggets than any other field worldwide.
The recent discovery was announced today by Minelab, a metal detector technology company based in South Australia.
