A man from Kentucky made an incredible discovery on his farm, unearthing over 700 rare gold coins in what is now being called the ‘Great Kentucky Hoard.’ The unidentified individual recorded himself digging up the treasure, which dates back to between 1840 and 1863, and couldn’t contain his excitement, exclaiming, “This is the most insane thing ever.” Among the coins found was an 1863 $20 Gold Liberty, which experts from GovMint stated could potentially sell for up to six figures at auction. The collection includes a total of 18 of these extremely rare pieces.
This means that if each of these coins is valued at least $100,000, the owner could potentially be looking at a $1.8 million windfall. Plus, there are many other rare coins in the collection that haven’t been taken into consideration.
Experts believe that the ‘treasure’ belonged to affluent Kentuckians in the 1860s who used to bury large amounts of money to safeguard it from a Confederate attack during the American Civil War.
One of the coins in the collection is a stunning 1863 $20 Gold Liberty coin, which is showcased in the image. This particular coin typically fetches a price in the six-figure range at auction.
An unknown individual captured footage of themselves unearthing a collection of treasures, all minted between 1840 and 1863, expressing their excitement by saying, ‘This is the most incredible thing ever.’ The complete assortment is shown in the picture.
The authenticity of the coins was confirmed by the NÏ…mismatic GÏ…araпty Co. (NGC), who assessed them as being in ‘extremely fine to mint state condition.’
The exact location of the land where the discovery was made remains unclear, but it is said to belong to the person who unearthed the coins, according to Live Science.
Experts have calculated that 95 percent of the hoard comprises gold dollars, including $1 Gold Indians, $10 Gold Libertys, and $20 Gold Libertys.
During the Civil War, many households in Kentucky became wary of outlaws, bootleggers, and gangsters, prompting them to hoard their money. This led to a significant amount of coins being buried and ultimately disappearing from circulation. Kentucky, located on the border between the North and South and declared neutral by the state government, was particularly susceptible to this trend.
US coin expert Jeff Garrett, who edits The Official Redbook: A Guide Book of United States Coins, described the chance to handle the “Great Kentucky Hoard” as a highlight of his career.
The significance of this discovery cannot be emphasized enough. Finding a single 1863 double eagle in mint condition would be a significant numismatic event. It’s hard to comprehend finding nearly a whole roll of superb examples.
Ryan McNutt, an archaeologist specializing in conflict at Georgia Southern University, shared with Live Science that many Americans affected by the Civil War had experience hiding goods and valuables.
Ian Russell, the president of a California-based coin auction house called GreatCollections, has listed the coins most likely to bring in the highest sums.
Coin expert Ian Russell, who is the president of GreatCollections, shared with Dailymail.com his advice on spotting a valuable rare coin.
Russell mentioned that any coin with a double die is automatically considered rare. The double die, which gained fame after the 1955 issue, refers to a coin with a double image on part or all of its design. This happens when a coin is not manufactured correctly, resulting in an accidental doubling of imagery.
In general, rare coins with missing details or extra detail tend to have the highest values. Russell mentioned that his auction house caters to a wide range of clients – from experienced coin collectors to beginners who stumble upon pieces in their homes and assume they are not valuable. He also noted a significant increase in female collectors during the pandemic.
Previously, the coin collecting community was predominantly male, but the number of women collectors has risen sharply. Russell attributes this increase to couples spending more time at home together during the pandemic, with husbands introducing their wives to the hobby. Women now make up about 5 to 6 percent of the community, a significant increase compared to before.
