The 6.85 Ounce Ugly Nugget

[Steve Herschbach]

Here are some closeups of the 6.85 ounce gold specimen I found at Ganes Creek, Alaska in September of 2002 with a White's MXT. It has a solid gold core surrounded by dark reddish brown lustrous quartz. Theoretically no gold is ugly but I thought this one was so I dubbed it "The Ugly Nugget". The full story and more photos are at Garrett Infinium & White's MXT at Ganes Creek The quartz is representative of one of the several sources of gold at Ganes Creek. The quartz verges on being agate but not quite, is always a shade of brown or reddish brown, and commonly has wisps or sponge-like masses of dendritic (mossy) gold enclosed in the quartz. I will find pictures of other examples. Gerry McMullen found a huge one at Ganes in later years.

My buddy Jeff and I were hunting way down below camp. We were on old cobble piles way back off the road near the creek, and I swung over the bank on one edge down into the bushes with my White's MXT. I got a loud signal and with a couple swipes of my pick basically just laid the moss back, and there it was. I did not think it was as big at the time as it turned out to be when it weighed in at 6.85 ounces. This still is the largest gold nugget/specimen I have found to date, though a solid 6.5 oz nugget I found last summer may have more actual gold in it.

I eventually sold the nugget to Mike Robuck at The Alaska Mint http://www.alaskamint.com/ and it was still on display there when I visited last summer. It is not for sale but used as a set piece to show off gold chains draped over it. If you ever are in Anchorage make the Alaska Mint part of your visit because it is more like a museum inside than a jewelry store.

The first picture below shows the general terrain the nugget was found in, Jeff with MXT in the photo. The last photo shows the other 1.3 ounces of gold I found on that visit to Ganes Creek, 8.15 ounces total.

[Underburden]

Ugly is in the eye of the beer holder.

[IdahoAl]

and I STILL have never seen a ugly nugget

[klunker]

 I can dispose of it for a modest fee. Do you have my shipping address?

I think I have it's twin. I'll post a picture next time I have it out.

[deathray]

I think it looks cool! Almost like tree bark on that side. Ray

[Jonathan Porter]

That isn't ugly Steve, that is beautiful. I've found specimens like that up in North QLD and love the story they are telling.

JP

[Reno Chris]

I've seen uglier. A few years back a guy below the camp at Sierra City picked up a piece about two ounces that was part serpentine and ugly enough to make yours look beautiful. I would have crushed that one to put it out of its misery.

 

Here is an ugly cousin I found in Africa last May.

[Bob(AK)]

Ugly gold is still gold. Brings back good memories of Ganes Creek

[Gus In Idaho]

Here's an ugly duckling...