Vincent Thurkettle was overjoyed when he stumbled upon the valuable discovery, describing the moment as simply magical. Since then, eager treasure seekers have been heading to a beach in the UK after a middle-aged man unearthed a portion of a treasure worth £120 million.
Vincent Thurkettle was amazed when he stumbled upon a remarkable 97.12g nugget of gold, valued at £50,000, resembling the size of a chicken egg. This astonishing find is thought to be a fraction of the £120 million worth of gold that was lost when the Royal Charter sank in a storm back in 1859. The glittering nugget caught his eye as it nestled in a crevice on the ocean floor near Anglesey, Wales.
The largest gold nugget ever found in Britain is displayed next to a 5p coin to provide a sense of scale.
The nugget that was discovered is believed to be part of a collection of gold worth £120 million, lost when the Royal Charter sank in a hurricane back in 1859. The amazing find is nearly twice as heavy as the UK’s second largest nugget, unearthed in Cornwall over 200 years ago in 1808. The man behind the discovery spent seven summers tirelessly searching the shoreline before finally being rewarded for his determination. With a team made up of his family and friends, he dedicated around six weeks each summer to sifting through the sand for gold dust. It was during a shallow dive just five meters from the shore that he came across the valuable nugget.
“When I first laid eyes on the nugget, I was completely taken aback. The sunlight was shining on it, making the gold sparkle, and being submerged in water made it look even larger than it actually was,” Vincent Thurkettle shared.
“I was only anticipating finding gold dust, so discovering such a massive nugget was truly unbelievable. It felt like a magical moment,” he continued.
“My immediate reaction was that nuggets like this were only something I had ever seen in museums.”
Vincent Thurkettle, located off the coast of Anglesey, described his initial reaction upon spotting a nugget. He explained that he hesitated to touch it at first, wanting to fully appreciate the remarkable sight and imprint it in his mind forever. The nugget was nestled in a crevice, resembling a Faberge egg, and it surprised him with its weight when he finally picked it up.
Vincent Thurkettle stumbled upon this discovery off the coast of Anglesey, Wales. It was located approximately five meters below the water’s surface and about 40 meters away from the renowned Royal Charter shipwreck. This ship tragically sank just north of Moelfre village on October 26, 1859, while on its way to Liverpool with a precious cargo of gold from Australia. Sadly, it is estimated that around 450 individuals lost their lives in this devastating maritime disaster.
When Vincent stumbled upon his discovery, he was amazed to find that recent storms had unearthed parts of the sea bed that had been hidden beneath two meters of sand for decades. “In my 39 years of prospecting, I’ve come across many gold nuggets, but I never imagined finding one this large on my own,” he exclaimed.
Since the nugget was discovered near a shipwreck, Vincent had to inform the Receiver of Wreck, and now the piece belongs to the Crown. It is currently being securely held until it can be displayed in a museum, with Vincent expecting to receive a finder’s fee for his discovery.
Vincent is hopeful that the rarity of the nugget, coupled with its proximity to the shipwreck, could fetch as much as £50,000 when it eventually goes up for sale.
He continued, expressing his sentimental attachment to the nugget, yet emphasizing the significance of showcasing it in a museum for public viewing. He mentioned how he had developed a strong affection for the nugget, noting the difference between it and previous findings he had come across. This discovery serves as a reminder that exploring the British countryside can lead to remarkable and unexpected treasures.
At first, I hesitated to reach out and touch it, wanting to fully immerse myself in the incredible sight and etch its beauty into my mind. The Carnon Nugget, the UK’s second largest nugget discovered in Cornwall in 1808, weighed 59g. More recent discoveries include an 18g nugget in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, a 37.7g find on Westward Ho! beach in Devon, England, and a 20g chunk found on Whitesands Beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
