The Great Kentucky Hoard
A massive cache of Civil War-era gold coins was unearthed in a Kentucky cornfield, including more than a dozen mint condition 1863 Double Gold Eagles, making the treasure worth far in excess of $1 million. Dubbed “The Great Kentucky Hoard,” the find includes more than 700 coins that were covered and preserved in dirt. Numismatic Guarantee Company (NGC) certified the coins as genuine $1, $10, and $20 gold coins minted before and during the Civil War. Not only were the coins extremely well preserved, but according to NGC, some have errors in minting, making them even more valuable.
The hoard includes hundreds of gold dollars dating from 1850 to 1863, as well as a handful of silver coins. Among the coins are rare gold dollars minted at the Dahlonega Mint in Georgia, which the Confederates seized in 1861 and was shuttered after the Civil War.
Both the treasure hunter and the precise location of the find are remaining anonymous.
Historians speculate the coins may have been buried to hide them from invading troops, or even from family members at conflict with each other. During the Civil War, Kentucky, bordering both confederate and union states, was divided with members of extended families pitted against each other. At the beginning of the war, in 1861, Kentucky declared neutrality, but when the Confederate troops invaded western Kentucky, the state sided with the Union army.Real Time Precious Metals Data Below
