Who doesn’t get excited when a real-life treasure hunt resulting in a huge gold nugget makes its way to the papers? In December 2019 a very lucky gold sniper hit jackpot and found a doughnut shaped gold nugget in a Scottish river.
Weighing 121.3 grams and containing no impurities, this yummy doughnut is around 22ct in fineness. Although the gold got fished out of the water in 2 parts, it is undeniable that these pieces fit together perfectly like a puzzle. Our history books will remember this piece as The Reunion Nugget.
But what does gold sniping mean? No, a water gun isn’t involved. Gold snipers are an extremely patient group of people who enjoy lying face down in a super cold river wearing a snorkel and a dry or wet suit. In this business, a positive attitude is a key asset! Due to the density of gold, flakes and nuggets make their way into cracks and crevices in the riverbed waiting to be found.
If you are not that keen on the idea of sniping, you can find your own 22ct or 24ct "nuggets" here, all from the comfort of your warm and cosy home without risking hypothermia.
This is the second time a large nugget was discovered in a Scottish river. The Douglas Nugget (85.7g) currently holds the record for the largest gold nugget found in the UK, but once The Reunion will be tested and verified, Douglas will need to take second place after sitting on the throne since 2016.
Maybe The Reunion does not compare in size and weight to the Welcome Stranger (78kg) and The Canaa Nugget (60.8kg), the world’s 2 largest gold nuggets but this find is the biggest deal in the UK from the last 500 years.