Couple find $11m in rare coins

A US couple have struck it rich while out walking their dog after finding $11 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins.

The pair found the 1427 coins buried in the shadow of an old tree of their northern California homestead.

Nearly all the coins date back to the mid-to-late 1800s and are uncirculated.

At face value the gold pieces add up to around $30,000, but some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1m apiece.

"I don't like to say once-in-a-lifetime for anything, but you don't get an opportunity to handle this kind of material, a treasure like this, ever," said veteran numismatist Don Kagin, who is representing the finders. "It's like they found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

Mr Kagin said the pair are choosing to remain anonymous and don't want to be treated any differently following their find.

"Their concern was this would change the way everyone else would look at them, and they're pretty happy with the lifestyle they have today," he said.

They plan to put most of the coins up for sale through Amazon while holding onto a few keepsakes.

Mr Kagin said they will use the money to pay off bills and quietly donate to local charities.

Source: ABC News

Author: Natasha Lee, Approving editor: Matthew Henry