Metal detectorist searching Gold Rush campsite uncovers ‘extremely rare’ relic: ‘Such a buzz’

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A metal detectorist exploring anAustralian Gold Rush-era campsite made a remarkable discovery in recent weeks — even without striking gold.

Angus James, a treasure hunter in theAustralian stateof Victoria, was sweeping an abandoned sports field — known locally as a sports oval — on Jan.24 when he uncovered an unusual coin.

The field, north of the mining town of Ballarat, had been used as a campsite during the Australian Gold Rush, which began in 1851 and continued for decades.

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Digging in the dirt, James realized the coin was Japanese in origin — and made of bronze.

The find was no ordinary piece of currency.

A rare Japanese bronze coin was discovered at a former Gold Rush-era campsite.Finding the coin was “such a buzz,” said treasure hunter Angus James, at right.(Angus James, @GOLDCOINRELICS via Facebook)

It was a 100 Mon Tempo Tsuho, a coin that held modest purchasing power and was commonly used for small, everyday transactions in19th-century Japan.

Interestingly, the characters on the coin are Chinese, even though it was produced in Japan during the mid-19th century — a common practice at the time.

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Unearthing the artifact was “such a buzz,�“Finding a Japanese coin this old in Australia is extremely rare.”

“I have found Chinese coins from the Gold Rush era… To find a Japanese coin this old isa great discovery.“

“I can’t wait to see what else I can detect from this location.”
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James sharedhis finds on Facebook.When he first uncovered the coin, he said he felt immediate excitement — and intrigue.

“At first I had no idea what it was because I have never found anything like it,” he said.

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He was “not expecting to find something so unique in the area,” he added, as his eyes were originally set on Australian coins and jewelry.He’s even found gold nuggets in recent weeks.

The Japanese coin features Chinese characters, a common practice during the mid-19th century, when it was produced.(Angus James, @GOLDCOINRELICS via Facebook)

He described the site as “extremely old,” adding that it wasoriginally a campsite.He said it hadn’t been used as a sports field since the 1950s.

“I have started to uncover other relics, including a belt buckle dated around the 1840s, and a trade token coin with the date 1855,” said James.