The 'Great Kentucky Hoard': A Historical Discovery of Lost Buried Treasure From the Civil War-Era

EAGAN, Minn., July 14, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Whether you are an avid coin collector or a history aficionado, the discovery of the Great Kentucky Hoard will impress all as one of the greatest historical finds. Comprising of over 700 exceptionally rare U.S. vintage gold coins from the Civil War-era, this buried treasure was discovered in 2023 under Kentucky farmland soil in pristine condition. GovMint.com, one of the largest direct-to-consumer retailers of collectible coins, is the exclusive distributor of this incredible discovery and will offer collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold and own a piece of U.S. Civil War history.

After 160 years, the Civil War-era gold coins were found in excellent condition and feature captivating varieties, including the scarce and highly sought-after 1863 Gold Liberty Double Eagle. The hoard of gold coinage dated between 1840 through 1863 consists primarily of U.S. Gold Dollars. Also found were a few $1 Gold Indian coins, $10 Gold Liberty coins, and $20 Gold Liberty coins from 1863, an extremely rare date in the Double Eagle series. 

"I am always excited when someone calls asking for advice about a rare coin discovery," said Jeff Garrett, rare coin dealer and leading U.S. coin expert in U.S. coinage. "The opportunity to handle the 'Great Kentucky Hoard' is one of the highlights of my career." 

Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), a leading third-party coin grading company, carefully conserved each coin by delicately removing the dirt and certified them as genuine. Nearly all 1863-P $20 Liberty coins were certified by NGC to be in as good of a condition as the day they left the Mint in the 1800s. The authentic coins will receive special NGC designations to indicate they are from the Great Kentucky Hoard.  

"The importance of this discovery cannot be overstated," Garrett said. "Over 700 gold dollars represent a virtual time capsule of Civil War-era coinage, including coins from the elusive Dahlonega Mint. Finding one mint-condition 1863 double eagle would be an important numismatic event. Finding a roll of superb examples is hard to comprehend."

The exact origin and circumstances surrounding the burial of the Great Kentucky Hoard remain unknown—yet its discovery is significant enough to change the numismatic landscape of Civil War-era coinage, adding allure for coin collectors and history enthusiasts. The question remains why was this treasure buried 160 years ago? The world may never know.