Man Finds Giant Gold Nugget In California Worth $70K





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A man finds a gold nugget the size of a t-bone steak and plans to sell it for five figures. This week, a company called Gold Prospecting Adventure, based in California, shared on its official Facebook page dozens of pictures of Oscar Espinoza holding a large gold nugget.

According to the company, Mr. Espinoza, who used go gold panning in his spare time, turned it into a profession after he lost his job. Recently, while searching Tuolumne County, he struck gold!

The Central Valley man found a nugget that weighs 559 grams and according to experts, it is valued between $60,000 and $70,000. The amateur gold prospector spoke to local media saying that when he sells it, he will be able to pay some overdue bills. Espinoza, who found the nugget last week, said:

“When I grabbed it, my hand kind of slipped off of it, that’s when I realized it was a lot bigger than a little nugget.”

Espinoza said he was surprised by the size. He explained:

“It took awhile to sink in that it was reality because usually not every day you see something like that.”

He went on to explain that he started searching for gold with the help of his beloved dog Groucho as a hobby, but after becoming jobless, he began investing more time into his passion. He shared:

“Thanks to unemployment, nothing to do and the search for something greater.”

Espinoza told local media he makes enough money from the gold he finds to get by. He hopes this latest discovery will make it possible for him to sleep a little better at night. He turned to Gold Prospecting Adventures and asked them to handle the sale. Bryant Shock, co-owner of Gold Prospecting Adventure, stated:

“Based on the weight of the nugget, which is 559 grams, it could sell for thousands of dollars. Because it was found in nature, and not altered, buyers could shell up to $70,000 for the nugget.”

Many reporters have asked to see the impressive chunk of gold and Espinoza has refused, saying that he has to protect his treasure. He is also very tight-lipped about where he is storing it. Espinoza said while laughing:

“It’s a hot potato. I want to make sure it’s safe, so that’s the reason why I didn’t present it.If you want to take a look at it yourself, you have to be interested in buying it.”

Rumor has it that the nugget was given to Charlie Morgan, a friend and hotelier in Jamestown, for safe keeping. He is hoping to find more. He added:

“I’m not guaranteed to ever find anything like that ever again. Who knows?”

Some commenters are wondering if this will be the start of a new California Gold Rush.