Posted on 05/09/2025 8:20:26 AM PDT by Red Badger
Two miners made an unforgettable discovery in 1869: a gold nugget the size of a human. But the real surprise came when they tried to weigh it.
The world’s largest ever gold nugget, discovered in 1869 during the Australian gold rush, remains a symbol of extraordinary wealth. Weighing as much as an adult man, the Welcome Stranger gold nugget, uncovered by two Cornish miners in Victoria, Australia, would be worth millions today.
The “Welcome Stranger” Nugget
On February 5, 1869, two miners, John Deason and Richard Oats, stumbled upon what would become the largest gold nugget ever found. “It is a great story of two guys instantly becoming fabulously rich. In those days that didn’t happen,” remarked John Tully from the Goldfields Historical Society.
The nugget weighed a massive 72 kilograms (11 stone) and was found 61 cm long, nestled among the roots of a tree in Bulldog Gully, located in the Victoria region of Australia. The nugget was encased in quartz, and it took considerable effort to extract it. According to historical records, Deason tried to pry the nugget loose using a pickaxe, but when the handle broke, they resorted to a crowbar to raise it to the surface.
This discovery was truly exceptional, considering the usual size of gold nuggets found in the area. The miners’ effort paid off, as they became famous for uncovering this treasure that seemed to belong more in the realm of myth than reality.
The Unusual Story of Weighing the Largest Gold Nugget
After unearthing the nugget, Deason and Oats took it to the nearby town of Dunolly, intending to weigh it at the London Chartered Bank. However, the sheer size of the nugget meant it couldn’t fit on the scales. It was so large that the miners had to break it into smaller pieces just to get an accurate weight. Its value was not immediately clear until it was processed into smaller, more manageable portions.
At the time of discovery, the nugget was valued at £10,000, which would be equivalent to about £2 million today. It was eventually melted down, losing its original form and turning into pure gold that could be refined and sold.
The Lasting Value of the Welcome Stranger Nugget
Even though the Welcome Stranger nugget was melted down over a century ago, its legacy remains an important chapter in the history of gold mining. The value of the nugget today illustrates the enduring appeal of gold as a store of wealth. Gold continues to be a reliable investment, holding high value even in the face of economic uncertainty. The discovery of such an enormous nugget emphasizes gold’s allure and the incredible potential rewards of gold mining.
Modern investors, from individuals to major corporations, still flock to gold as a safe investment. As highlighted in the Indy100 article, even Logan Paul, a well-known YouTuber and entrepreneur, has sought to capitalize on gold’s enduring value by producing a limited-edition gold Prime bottle.
Gold Nugget Replica. Credit: Museums Victoria
What Would the Welcome Stranger Nugget Be Worth Today?
If the Welcome Stranger nugget were found today, its value would likely be around £2 million (approximately $2.5 million USD), considering the current market price of gold. To put this into perspective, a single nugget of this size could fetch a fortune, given the rising demand for gold and its status as a precious commodity.
However, the historical significance of the nugget also cannot be overlooked. Its discovery helped spur further interest in gold mining in Australia, fueling the Australian gold rush and bringing wealth to thousands of miners. The Welcome Stranger remains an iconic part of that history.
“I love gooooooold,” “Yesh, shalty,” and “Oh yesh. Yesh yesh yesh yesh. This is a keeper.”
Looks great but I’m sure it wants to kill you.
“... Weighs as Much as an Adult Man ...”
Disgusting clickbait headline. The nugget doesn’t exist anymore. Those pictures are fakes.
That would work worth about $6.4 million with today’s prices.
72 km would be about 158 pounds.
J. B. Pritzker?
72 km would be about 45 miles...................
Lol. Even the gold in Aus wants to kill you.... good one. Probably has some type of outer space microbe that mutates into Bernie Sanders.
I've been wondering when the wokesters will demand the "kilogram" be renamed because the first syllable suggests killing.
Gold like luck rare some have both if it wasn’t for bad luck I wouldn’t have any.
More power to those who do have good luck.
If I was a liberal I could say they stole my muck yeah that’s it.
Didn’t even last one generation! My Great grandfather had 13 kids, spent lavishly on them and built the largest and most expensive house in Linn County. He went broke in the early 40s and the house was auctioned in ‘42 - and it was intentionally burned in ‘96 to clear the ground for a school parking lot.
Ah well…
That would certainly qualify as a BAHOG.
72 kg is about 159 lbs.
Yes. I just said “220 lbs” because that’s what the article printed.
.
Bkmk
A.U.B.T.D.
I think we’re lowballing the worth of this nugget.
Gold was $3339.15 today. So....$3,339.15 an oz x 16 oz. x 220 pounds is $11,753,843.20 give or take a few cents.
Wrong kind of ounces.
Gold is measured in Troy Ounces....
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