Antiques valuation of £260k for golden nugget

A golden nugget has been given an antiques valuation of up to £260,000.

The item - which weighs 6lb 4oz - is set to go under the hammer in March in Sacramento, California, the Metro reports.

It was discovered by Jim Sanders when he was sweeping his house in Nevada City, California with a metal detector and mining geologist Fred Holabird is of the opinion it is the largest golden nugget in California still left in existence.

The piece is being called the Washington Nugget and it is expected to be sold for more than gold currently retails at, because it is so old.

This comes after a Chinese vase found in a London house clearance bettered its antiques valuation of £1.2 million to go under the hammer for £43 million, although the total price was over £50 million once VAT and commission had been included in the cost.

Posted by Lisa Marriott