A three-year-old boy discovers a $4 million pendant in England

13 Sep 2022

lucky

A $4 million 16th-century gold pendant was discovered in 2010 by a three-year-old boy using his father's metal detector.

A teenage British treasure hunter used his metal detector for the first time on 2010 and discovered something unexpected and precious. James Hyatt, three, was using it when “it went beep beep beep.”

Hyatt and his father began excavating, and on they made their 500-year-old gold pendant discovery public. It is worth roughly $4 million, according to experts.

James Hyatt was with his father when he made the discovery. Photo Credit: Easynews Press Agency

According to the BBC, the Hyatts discovered the pendant in a field, and if it is sold, they will split the proceeds with the landowner.

Worn by royalty: The rare 16th century gold reliquary pendant, which was used to hold religious relics. Photo Credit: dailymail.co.uk

Named: Caspar is misspelled on the item but the engraving is of a type popular in the 16th century. Photo Credit: dailymail.co.uk

According to the BBC, the British Museum estimates that the pendant weighs a third of an ounce and has a gold content of roughly 73%. The Virgin Mary is most likely depicted in an engraving on the pendant. The five wounds of Christ are also adorned on it.

“Devotion to the blood and wounds of Christ was one of the trademarks of late medieval piety,” the British Museum writes in a letter that is cited by the BBC.