Despite a broken metal detector, treasure hunters discover the largest nugget of gold ever found in England
Despite having a broken metal detector and having to use an old replacement, a treasure hunter discovered the largest gold nugget ever found in England.
Richard Brock traveled three and a half hours from his home in Somerset to take part in an organized expedition to farmland in the Shropshire Hills.
Upon arrival, he discovered that he was having trouble with his detection device and had to resort to a questionable older device that didn’t even work properly.
But just a few minutes later, the 67-year-old, who has been metal detecting for 35 years, discovered the biggest find of his life – a gold nugget weighing 64.8 grams.
“I actually arrived about an hour late because I thought I had missed the action,” said the father of four, who has been a detective since 1989.
“Everyone there had this modern equipment and I was traveling with three old machines and one of them broke straight away.
“After scanning the ground for just 20 minutes with this replacement detector, which had a fading screen display, I found this nugget buried about five to six inches deep in the ground.
“I was maybe a little too honest and started showing people, and then suddenly I had swarms of other detectors scanning the same area.
“The machine I was using was pretty broken and only half working. It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter what equipment you use.
“Walking over the discovery and being observant enough to see what might be lurking beneath the ground makes all the difference.
“I had nothing else to look for because the landowner, the excavation organizer and all the other detector specialists around me were trying to get a look at this nugget.”
Exactly what a nugget of gold was doing in the Shropshire Hills near Much Wenlock remains a mystery, although it is believed the area was an old path or road through which railway lines ran and the stones contained that probably come from Wales, a country known to be rich in gold.
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The only specimens of gold nuggets larger than Richard’s in Britain were found in either Wales or Scotland.
“The last one said to be bigger in England weighed 54 grams, but mine weighs 64.8 grams, so we’re pretty sure it’s the biggest one found on English soil.”
“It is really incredible.”
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The nugget of metal, dubbed “Hiro’s Nugget,” is being sold by Mullock Jones Auctioneers in an online auction running through April 1 that will hopefully fetch tens of thousands.
In a generous gesture, Richard announces that he will share the proceeds with the property owner.
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