“Hand of Faith”: how an Australian found a unique gold nugget
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The “Hand of Faith” is one of the largest gold nuggets ever found in Australia. It attracts attention not only with its impressive weight (more than 27 kilograms or 870 troy ounces), but also with its unusual shape, reminiscent of a human hand. How was such an unusual nugget discovered?
Story
The “Hand of Faith” was discovered by Australian amateur treasure hunter Kevin Hillier in 1980. He used a conventional metal detector. Moreover, it was possible to extract the gold nugget quite easily — at a depth of only a few tens of centimeters below the surface.
News about the discovery quickly spread throughout the Australian state of Victoria: Dick Hamer, the premier of Victoria, was personally present at a press conference held on this occasion. And Hillier himself became a local celebrity.
Traveling to Las Vegas
After the press conference, the Australian sold the gold nugget, earning about a million dollars for it. The “Hand of Faith” was purchased by the Golden Nugget Las Vegas casino. The nugget is kept in this establishment to this day, and it invariably continues to attract the attention of thousands of people.
In the photo: the “Hand of Faith” in all its splendor.
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