Posted by Juniorsbook on Aug 31, 2026 in TellMeWhy |
What Was in the Saddle Ridge Hoard?
The Saddle Ridge Hoard is the name given to a hoard of 1,427 gold coins discovered in northern California in 2013.
Who buried the gold coins and why is absolutely unknown. Although speculation ranged from concealed mining funds or savings to outlaw plunder, but investigations ruled out a link to the famous 1901 San Francisco Mint burglary.
The face value of the coins totaled at $27,980, but they were estimated to be worth $10 million. The hoard included $27,460 in twenty-dollar coins, $500 in ten-dollar coins, and $20 in five-dollar coins ranging from 1847 to 1894.
The collection is the largest known discovery of buried gold coins ever recovered in the United States. Most coins were in uncirculated, mint condition, suggesting they had been buried and left untreated for more than a century.
The Saddle Ridge Hoard was discovered in February 2013 on a private property in northern California. As of 2014, the couple who discovered the hoard, known only as John and Mary, had partnered up with Kagin’s numismatic firm to sell the majority of the collection, earning millions of dollars.
The couple maintained their identity, location, and property ownership history confidential to prevent treasure hunters from trespassing on the land in search of more riches.
What is the largest gold hoard ever found?
The largest scientifically documented and preserved buried gold hoard is the Trier Gold Hoard in Germany, which weighs approximately 18.5 kilograms (41 pounds).
The hoard was discovered by metal detectorists in the spoil from a construction site in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on 9 September 1993. The hoard consists of 2,518 solid-gold Roman aurei coins, with a total weight of around 18.5 kg (41 lb) that were buried in 196 CE.
The coins were originally wrapped in cloth and placed in a bronze bucket that was buried around 0.5 m (1 ft 7 in) below the floor of a cellar.
Content for this question contributed by Pamela Le Pore, resident of Taunton, Bristol County, Massachussets, USA
