A Northern California couple out walking their dog in February 2013 on their Gold Country property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree.
Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them.
Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to about $27,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1million apiece.
Experts say it's likely whoever owned the property 150 years ago buried the coins as a kind of California gold rush-era bank - to save as an investment and for a rainy day. The coins were then forgotten for over a century.
It is seen as the largest haul of buried treasure in US history.
"We've seen shipwrecks in the past where thousands of gold coins were found in very high grade, but a buried treasure of this sort is unheard of," David McCarthy of currency firm Kagin's, who is advising the couple, told Reuters news agency.
"I've never seen this face value in North America and you never see coins in the condition we have here."
The couple wish to remain anonymous and the their property will remain undisclosed to prevent the hoards of treasure hunters, etc.
The couple are happy and content with their lives and do not wish for anything to change... they will pay off bills and donate large sums to charity!
