Lucky 3-year-old James Hyatt couldn’t contain his curiosity on his first ever metal detecting adventure while on holiday with his dad and grandad in Essex.
Just minutes into his very first expedition, James Hyatt struck gold and unearthed a rare gold locket worth an estimated US$3.1 million.
When James and his dad heard a buzz, they started digging in excitement.
They never expected to dig up an early 16th century locket—the era of Henry VIII—which could have belonged to a royal family member, according to experts.
The impressive trinket which was used in the past to carry relics, was declared a treasure trove at an inquest.
This meant the profits would be split between James and the landowner.
“I was holding the detector and it went beep, beep, beep. Then we dug into the mud. There was gold there. We didn’t have a map – only pirates have treasure maps,’ James said.
James’s dad Jason, 34, a web designer, said he was “blown away” at his son’s discovery.
He said he had never found anything so special in his 15 years treasure hunting with a metal detector. Well done James!
“We dug six to eight inches down and lo and behold, we got a flash of gold.
“I moved the earth around and brought it to the surface and there it was,” he told the BBC.
“James was so excited when he realised he had found real treasure. My son is one of the luckiest people ever.
“If we go to the doctors he’ll put his hand down the side of the sofa and pull out a tenner.”
The treasure weighs 8.68g, is 73 percent gold and is engraved with an picture of Virgin Mary holding a cross.
The back has an engraving of five bleeding hearts, and although the back panel can’t slide anymore, the British Museum thinks it was probably designed to hold a relic.
What an amazing find! What’s your verdict—is James a natural, or was it just beginner’s luck?
Watch James make his first ever discovery below:
Source: CelebrityNewsRack
