Large Gold and Quartz Nugget, 2.5 x 3.5" from the Shasta Area. This piece is so big it is almost a small boulder. Found decades ago by metal detecting in old sluice or dredge tailings, this piece is a true treasure. The physical character of the piece is marvelous, and very few of these still exist today, as most were crushed and melted. It is a classic museum-quality piece that well illustrates the nature of hydraulic mining in the massive tertiary placer gold deposits, and they types of huge nuggets that these mines could produce. But they are all gone, and rare specimens such as this are all that remain. The largest mine up in that area of northern California was probably at LaGrange, still active today, though just out of Shasta and into Trinity County off Hwy 299. The piece weighs about 1.75 pounds and contains about $14,000 in gold at $1750 spot. Shasta County California