A Canadian man in Scotland has found a gold nugget estimated to be worth €10,000 (almost $14,000 CDN), according to the BBC, and he almost threw it away.
The B.C. man who "prefers to be described as John" — just John — was learning to pan for gold with Leon Kirk near the village of Wanlockhead, according to the Carluke Gazette. Kirk, along with the local Museum of Lead Mining, offers gold panning courses.
“I saw the piece lying just under the surface of the water and picked it up," said the man described as John. "It didn’t look like much and I was just about to throw it back when I thought I should double-check with Leon first."
Kirk, thankfully blessed with both a last name and a better eye for gold, recognized the value of the 20-carat nugget, which weighs around 18.1 grams, according to ITV.
"I always knew there were sizable nuggets in these hills but, in my decades of panning, have only found very small pieces or flakes," Kirk said. "This is such a major discovery that people will be talking about it in 30 years' time."
The last major gold find in the area was in 2002, Kirk told the Gazette. That nugget, however, was a mere 6.1 grams.
The museum says the new find will likely spark a gold rush in the area, and trustee Gerard Godfrey said he was confident there's more gold to be found.
"We are absolutely delighted with such a significant find," Godfrey said. "No doubt there will be a mini gold rush once this gets out but we are very happy with that."
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