How Was the Hand of Faith Gold Nugget Discovered?

TL;DR

The Hand of Faith gold nugget, weighing 27.2 kilograms, was discovered by the Hillier family in Australia while using a metal detector in 1980, during a difficult time in their lives. After its discovery, the nugget was sold to the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas for approximately $2.7 million. It is known as the largest gold nugget ever found by a hand-held metal detector.

Transcript

Sitting in the back of a dark, old-fashioned Las Vegas casino sits, rather unremarkably, the largest gold nugget on display in the world. Slowly spinning on a table in a place not uncoincidentally named “The Golden Nugget,” the so-called “Hand of Faith” gold nugget is not as glamorous nor as shiny as cartoon gold nuggets would have you believe. Whi... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏅 The Hand of Faith gold nugget is valued at approximately $5 million.
• 😍 The Hillier family found the nugget in a former gold rush town in Australia while using a metal detector.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The gold nugget weighs 27.2 kilograms and is the largest found by a hand-held metal detector.
• ❓ It was eventually sold to the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas for around $2.7 million.
• 👨‍🔬 The Hilliers continued searching for another significant gold nugget but were unsuccessful.
• ⚰️ The original metal detector and a replica of the nugget were placed next to Kevin Hillier's coffin at his funeral.
• 🏅 Bip Hillier, despite her age, still contemplates going back to search for more gold.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the Hillier family come across the Hand of Faith gold nugget?

After Kevin Hillier's back injury, he and his wife Bip searched for gold with a metal detector. One day, Kevin found the gold nugget, and they had to dig to retrieve it from the ground.

Q: What happened after the Hilliers discovered the gold nugget?

The Hilliers initially kept the nugget hidden, then entrusted it to a friend who took it back to Melbourne for delivery to the government. It took several months for the nugget to sell, and it was eventually purchased by the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas.

Q: Did the Hilliers continue their search for gold after finding the Hand of Faith?

Yes, Kevin and Bip continued searching for the Hand of Faith's companion, the "Foot of Faith," but were unsuccessful. Kevin Hillier passed away in 2014, and his ashes were spread at the site of the discovery.

Q: What is the current status of the Hand of Faith gold nugget?

The Hand of Faith gold nugget is on display at the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas. However, Kevin Hillier's original metal detector and a replica of the nugget were placed next to his coffin at his funeral, and the metal detector is currently stored in Bip's garage.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Hillier family, in dire straits, found the Hand of Faith gold nugget in a former gold rush town in Australia while searching with a metal detector.

• Weighing 27.2 kilograms, it is the largest gold nugget ever found by a hand-held metal detector and the second-largest discovered in Australia in the 20th century.

• After several months, the nugget was sold to the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas for approximately $2.7 million.