Farmers found 60kg of gold in the well, experts believe there may still be another 200 tons of gold hidden deep underground
A farmer in China once found 60kg of gold while digging a well. The mystery of the origin of the gold leads experts to believe that there may still be another 200 tons of gold hidden deep underground.
An illustration of an old farmer who accidentally digs a gold store.
According to Sohu, in ancient China , precious metals such as gold, silver and copper were used as widely circulated currency. The gold that a lucky Chinese farmer found, although of a purity far less than the current gold, was extremely valuable. The difference comes from the great historical value of the gold buried in the ground.
In 1990, in a small village on the outskirts of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China, a farmer dug a well to get water.
When digging to a depth of 3-4 meters, the man felt the pickaxe hit a hard object. He used a shovel to carefully dig up the soil and it was full of gold coins, weighing up to 60kg in total.
This farmer brought the gold to the bank, wanting to sell it for money. Seeing the ancient coins, the bank staff informed the authorities, according to Sohu.
Wang Mang is considered the emperor of China “born in the wrong era”.
According to experts, the gold coins that the farmer found date from the Western Han Dynasty, based on traces and patterns.
According to Chinese law, anyone who finds antiquities, historical and cultural relics underground must hand them over to the state.
Under the persuasion of the Department of Cultural Heritage, the farmer’s family handed over all 60kg of gold coins. The Bureau gave the farmer’s family 500 yuan (1.7 million VND) and a souvenir flag.
Based on historical documents, Chinese researchers surmise that this is the amount of gold minted at the end of the Western Han Dynasty, under the Chinese emperor Wang Mang.
Wang Mang (45 BC – 23) was a Han dynasty god, later proclaimed himself emperor, founded the Tan dynasty – a dynasty that interrupted the long period of Han Dynasty history for 16 years.
The gold is currently on display at the museum.
Wang Mang is considered the emperor of China “born in the wrong era. He proposed monetary reform, banned the use of metal coins, and collected gold in folklore.
According to “Han Thu – Vuong Mang Story”, in 15 years, it is estimated that Vuong Mang has collected 200-300 tons of gold, where this huge amount of gold is stored, no one knows.
The gold that the farmer in Shaanxi discovered was most likely the gold that the emperor Wang Mang once collected. Experts believe that there are still 200 tons of gold lying underground thanks to the above clue.
However, Chinese archaeologists so far have shown no sign of expanding excavations in Shaanxi province to find the forgotten gold treasure.