Fake Claim: Huge California Gold Nugget Turns Out to Actually Be From Australia
- Posted on July 7, 2011 at 6:33am by
Tiffany Gabbay
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NEVADA CITY, Calif. (AP/The Blaze) — A 6.2-pound hunk of gold was auctioned for nearly half a million dollars in March after a man claimed to have found it on his Sierra Nevada property, but it turns out it was actually dug up decades earlier in Australia.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Australian prospector Murray Cox compared pictures of the “Washington Nugget” that sold for $460,000 in March with “The Orange Roughie” he unearthed near Melbourne in 1987. They were an exact match.
Last year, a man named Jim Sanders claimed to have unearthed the chunk on his property.
The men who auctioned the nugget for Sanders said they investigated after Cox came forward and agreed it was from Australia.
The reason the origin of the gold was such a big deal, is because it was believed to be the largest California nugget left in existence. Still, despite misleading buyers as to the origin of the nugget, parties involved say they are not interested in pursuing fraud charges against Sanders.
While dealers‘ confidentiality agreements prohibit disclosing how the gold came into Sander’s position in the first place, the nugget did eventually re-sell at auction at a lower price.
Even still, with a gold rate of over $1,500 per ounce, the nugget was still worth it’s weight in gold.
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kpopper
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:43amThat’s “possession” not “position”, and “worth its weight in gold” not “worth it’s weight in gold”. This message brought to you by the Campaign To Eliminate Illiterate Journalists.
Report Post »Master Cylinder
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 5:14pmAnd this is taking up space on the web…..why?
Report Post »miles from nowhere
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 2:42pmIt would not take much to fool people in THIRD WORLD CALIFORNIA here have another hit of cocain, now what were talking about?
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:26pmIt’s Cali, what would one expect from Cali after-all, eh?
Report Post »Rweb
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:17amIf he was able to sell his property ay a higher price this would be a story.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:40amHe must be a Democrat??? I mean the lies, the story??
Report Post »TheDebtWeAllPay
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:17amMore important things than this Blaze please stop with the BS
Report Post »GRAMPA-D-NH
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:36amIf Glenn bought it, put it on a gold chain and wore it on his new show, then that would be a story. “Yo teaparty homies, buy gold from Goldline” …. Otherwise….yawn….zzzzz
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:49amI don’t understand the math here. 6.2 pounds of gold should equal 74 troy ounces. Even if we are talking avp pounds that’s still only 99 ounces. At $1,500 an ounce that gives us a selling price of between 100,000 and 150,000 dollars. How does that equate to “nearly half a million”?
Report Post »bestcat1
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:38pmAs I live in the Little Town of Washington, CA, I can tell you that large nuggets are worth more because they are rare and are considered (by collectors) specimens. Also, different types of gold are worth more than others. Crystallized gold is much more rare, valuable and beautiful. This nugget was not crystallized. The landowner has been in a legal battle for years with the forest service trying to get a road into this landlocked parcel. After his ‘find’, he put up a website seeking investors to help develop a commercial mining operation called the Lost Scotchman Mine on the 180-acre property, suggesting the giant nugget was just the ‘tip of the iceberg’. The website encouraged investors: ‘Act now and just like the 49ers of 160 years ago, you can experience the wealth and excitement of the Gold Rush.‘ No one wanted to listen to us ’locals’ when we warned it seemed suspicious – not even the auctioneer.
Report Post »Pontiac
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:01am@Islesfordian
Report Post »Rarity. Large nuggets bring a premium.
GENEPAGLIARI
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:39amyou know the white house had to be involved in the scam.
Report Post »enduro
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:32amIt is important to know that there are no Mineral Rights in Australia. The Goverment would own that gold. hhhmmmm
Report Post »nacilbuper
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:52amI love gold……
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:17pmLOOK OUT!!! BO will Tax it!!!!
Report Post »THE EQUALIZER
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:34amWow, I read this crap story..Wasted 35 seconds of life!
Report Post »itsmyfirstday
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:22amboring…
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 6:58amGreed & Pride. The 7 deadly sins still strive to reign in today’s society.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:44amWanna bet he’s a Democrat?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 6:43am.
Report Post »Non Story next please…….
Skippy Toes
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:19amNo,story! Trying to recreate modern gold rush to Cailifornia. It’s a trick to inspire people to go out west. Got to balance the droves of citizens oozing across the border and out the state as fast as their little Uhauls will go.
Report Post »garylee123
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:13pmNot really. They have shut down all the dredging in Ca. for environmental reasons (killed one fish).
Report Post »Faith in God
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:12amnot just to you spank…but all of you who criticise topics on here for what you deem as non news, produce your own news. Its nice to read something on here thats not always about politics. Sheesh
Report Post »I for one like the a wide variety of topics and love that the news isnt biased on the Blaze.
Professional Infidel
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:31amObvioulsy not an expert, gold formations are distenct and particular to each deposit.
Report Post »Bill
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:32amNext!
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