Brisbane tradie finds rare gold coin with metal detector
A tradie from Brisbane was shocked to discover a rare hidden treasure hiding beneath a tree with the help of his metal detector.
A Brisbane tradie and metal detector enthusiast has discovered a rare gold coin that could be worth a fortune.
Wayne Ryan’s jaw dropped when he stumbled across an 1885 gold sovereign coin featuring Queen Victoria during a routine metal detecting search in his local area on Saturday night.
Heading up the Virgin Grounds Metal Detecting Facebook group, he’s no stranger to finding treasures underground.
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After digging around some tree roots when his metal detector started to ping, he was caught off guard this time.
“When I first pulled it out I thought it was a dollar coin and then I wiped it off with my thumbs and it was just utter shock,” he told Channel 9.
“I dropped to my knees. It was a very special moment.”
He has uncovered around 200 historic coins in his metal detecting missions and said that this is, by far, his biggest find.
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The 40-year-old discovered the 22-carat gold coin which was minted in Sydney and could be worth thousands of dollars.
At the time it was lost, it would have been a week’s wages, according to auctioneer and imperial coins expert Rick Coleman.
On weight alone it’s estimated to be worth around $650, but given its historical significance it’s worth much more, according to the auctioneer.
He added that it was a “very unusual” find for Queensland.
We’ll probably find a buyer for it for $1000 without any trouble at all,” the auctioneer said.
But Wayne plans to hold onto the coin tightly and add it to his growing coin collection.