Alaska miner unearths largest recorded gold nugget
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In 1998, Alaska miner Barry Clay was working near Ruby when his bulldozer uncovered a 294.1-ounce gold-and-quartz specimen.
Clay discovered the nugget while placer mining in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area of Alaska. He identified the object as an exceptionally large gold nugget and took it for examination.
The Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys officially recorded the find as the largest gold nugget ever mined in Alaska, naming it the Alaska Centennial Nugget to mark a century since the Klondike Gold Rush. The nugget measures approximately 17 by 14.5 by 11 centimetres and weighs over 20 pounds. An analysis showed the visible gold on its surface was about 87.59% pure, though a full assay to determine the total gold content was never performed.
The owner prioritised the nugget’s historical and collector value over quantifying its gold. After remaining in a private collection for over 20 years, Heritage Auctions sold the Alaska Centennial Nugget in December 2021. An internet bidder purchased the nugget for $750,000, making it the highest-selling item in an auction that generated over $2.35 million in total sales. Heritage Auctions described the specimen as museum-quality and rare, noting its size and well-documented origin in a region known for large gold nuggets.
