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Hundreds of gold coins worth millions discovered buried in a man's cornfield

The coins in the Kentucky cache are from the Civil War era, providing new insight into a bygone time

Published: Thu 13 Jul 2023, 11:13 AM

Updated: Thu 13 Jul 2023, 11:30 AM

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A man in Kentucky chanced upon 700 rare golden coins dated between 1840 and 1863, which were buried in his cornfield that are estimated to be worth millions.

According to international media reports, it was dubbed as the “The Great Kentucky Hoard” and could be worth a “six-figure price,” according to GovMint, an authorised coin dealer. Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) certified the coins’ authenticity and graded them.

“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,” rare coin dealer Jeff Garrett told NGC.

The coins include $1 Gold Indians, $10 Gold Libertys and $20 Gold Libertys, according to GovMint, adding that the lattermost — a $20 Gold Liberty from 1863 — which may be worth millions.

According to international media reports, the cache also includes “1863 Gold Liberty Double Eagles, a super-rare date that is scarce in all grades,” the authentic dealer noted. Ryan McNutt, a conflict archaeologist and associate professor at Georgia Southern University, told Live Science: “Given the time period and the location in Kentucky, which was neutral at the time, it is entirely possible this was buried in advance of Confederate John Hunt Morgan’s June to July 1863 raid.”

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