A farmer in Kentucky just made himself a multi-millionaire after discovering a huge cache of long-lost Civil War gold and silver coins buried in his field.
The farmer, who has smartly not allowed his name or location to be released publicly, reportedly discovered the whopping treasure trove of 700 coins in June.
“The coins, discovered in the ground and remarkably well preserved, possess an astonishing luster and a newfound freshness rarely observed in coins of this kind,” said Andy Salzberg, executive vice president of the Certified Collectibles Group, according to Fox News.
A total of 700 gold coins were buried on the farm and the hoard included a group of 1983 Double Eagles and hundreds of gold dollar coins dated between 1850 and 1862, according to the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC).
Some of the rarest coins in the bunch are the 1863-P $20 gold Liberty coins, according to GovMint. There was a total of 18 of these ultra-rare coins.
These coins are rare because, apart from being 90% gold and the date, they do not have “In God We Trust” inscribed on them, according to LiveScience.
These especially rare finds could each command a six-figure price tag, according to GovMint.
“The importance of this discovery cannot be overstated, as the stunning number of over 700 gold dollars represents a virtual time capsule of Civil War-era coinage, including coins from the elusive Dahlonega Mint. Finding one Mint condition 1863 Double Eagle would be an important numismatic event. Finding nearly a roll of superb examples is hard to comprehend,” said Jeff Garrett, a leading expert in U.S. coinage and a rare coin dealer.
It appears that the coins were buried on the man’s property during the Civil War as Confederate forces were attempting to turn the state to their advantage.
The coins are set to be sold by GovMint, one of the largest rare coin retailers in the United States.
Kentucky proclaimed its neutrality during the war, but actually supplied troops to both sides — though more to the North than the South. And despite the South’s attempts to use the state to its advantage, Kentucky was fully under control of the Union Army throughout the war.
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