07/14/2023 19:55 (act. 07/14/2023 19:55)
This hoard of gold coins has been lost for over 150 years ©APA/GovMint.com
More than 700 gold coins from the American Civil War were discovered in a corn field in the US state of Kentucky. The “Grand Treasure of Kentucky” coins are now being offered for sale on GovMint.com and could fetch millions of dollars in total. A man discovered a hoard of coins earlier this year on a farm in Kentucky. The exact location and identity of the man remained a secret.
However, GovMint.com released a man-made video showing the discovery. “This is total madness,” the man can be heard. The coins are said to date from the years 1840 to 1863. Part of the find are 18 very rare $20 Gold Liberty coins that were minted in Philadelphia in 1863. According to GovMint.com, collectors sometimes pay sums of six figures for that currency.
“The importance of this discovery cannot be overstated,” said coin dealer Jeff Garrett, who was contacted by the anonymous discoverer. “The incredible number of more than 700 gold coins represents a true time capsule of American Civil War-era coins.”
Kentucky remained neutral during the Civil War between the Northern States and the Southern States (1861-1865), but was nevertheless drawn into the conflict. “The ‘Great Treasure of Kentucky’ may be a result of this conflict, the coins were lost for over 150 years,” said the Numismatic Guaranty Company, which certified the discovered coins.