In Central Victoria, a lucky Australian prospector hit the jackpot when his metal detector led him to an 87-ounce gold nugget just six inches below the surface near Wedderburn, a renowned gold mining town.
The “Fair Dinkum” nugget holds a significant precious metal value of close to $102,000, however, Mick Brown, a 42-year-old from Kerang, Australia, is confident that its worth could double for the perfect collector.
At times, it’s been said that a beautiful gold nugget is worth double its weight in gold,” he shared with The Age.
Brown is feeling optimistic that his gold nugget will fetch a great price. “It’s got some nice grooves and is quite impressive,” he shared. In the exciting world of gold prospecting, a massive 97-ounce gold nugget was discovered using a metal detector in the legendary Gold Rush Country of Northern California. This remarkable find was recently sold to a mystery buyer for a whopping $400,000. Brown, like many prospectors, has decided to give his nugget a unique name – “Fair Dinkum,” which is an Australian term that signifies authenticity and truthfulness.
Brown shared with
The Age
that people are amazed by the weight of the nugget and often exclaim, “Wow, this thing is massive!” He credits his wife for pushing him to leave the house that day, as he was feeling grumpy from quitting smoking. Following her advice, he decided to take a trip 64 miles south to Wedderburn, a place he had previously explored for gold.
Brown recounted the moment his metal detector went wild upon detecting a massive piece of gold buried in the ground. “It was like a shock to the system, I tell ya,” he remarked, recalling the loud alert signal that caught him off guard.
After digging just six inches deep, he managed to pull out the horn-like protrusions of the “Fair Dinkum” nugget from the earth. Initially mistaking it for copper, he soon realized it was actually gold. To celebrate, he cracked open a beer.
Keeping the exact location of his find secret to avoid sparking a gold rush, Brown proudly displayed the “Fair Dinkum” nugget to anyone interested. He jokingly questioned the idea of finding a nugget but not showing it off, feeling it was only right to share the excitement with others.
Using the money from selling the nugget, Brown plans to buy a home spa for his wife and four daughters. Despite this success, he remains determined to find an even larger nugget in the future. He mentioned the possibility of uncovering some massive 10 kilo nuggets still out there waiting to be discovered.
While impressive, Brown’s “Fair Dinkum” nugget is not the largest to be discovered in Australia. The 1981 unearthing of the 256-ounce “Pride of Australia” in Mosquito Gully, just north of Wedderburn, stands as a testament to the remarkable finds made in the Aussie countryside.
