The largest gold nugget ever found in Alaska is named the Alaska Centennial Nugget. It weighs a whopping 294.10 troy ounces, and was found near the town of Ruby, Alaska in 1998.
A number of big nuggets have been discovered in Alaska. Yes, Alaska is probably the best state in the U.S. to look for gold, especially if you’re looking for a BIG nugget.
Miners have been looking for gold in Alaska for more than 100 years now, and some spectacular nuggets have been found. Of all the gold found in Alaska, the Centennial Nugget in Alaska is the most spectacular of all the discoveries made here.
Barry Clay was a placer mining region that was known for producing big nuggets along Swift Creek. He was driving dirt with his bulldozer when his eye spotted something odd. He jumped out of the dozer, catching the ring. He knew immediately by weight that a huge gold nugget had been found. He buried the nugget under a nearby tree afterwards, until he could find out what to do with it.
As he finally took it to town for further study, it was determined he had discovered the largest nugget ever found in Alaska, and the second largest nugget ever found in the western hemisphere behind the Cortez nugget found in Mexico.
It was named the Centennial nugget because it was discovered on the Klondike Gold Rush’s 100th anniversary which took thousands of men north to Alaska in search of gold. His finding in 1998 indicates that a number of huge gold nuggets are still left to be found. They haven’t all been discovered, not by a long shot!
With the record high gold prices in recent years and the renewed interest in gold mining, there is a very good chance in the very near future that more large gold nuggets will be discovered.
There were also many other big nuggets found in the Ruby Mining District, including several nuggets that weighed over a pound.
Alaska has by far the most commercial mining operations compared to other states, mainly due to its miner friendly regulations in comparison to other states. Alaska has a reputation for large nuggets as well. Overall gold produced here is not as high as other states like California and Nevada, but if you want to find a huge gold nugget in the United States, Alaska is the best place to look.
This beautiful nugget wasn’t alone. It may be the largest to be found here, but several whoppers have been found around Ruby. Nearly all the waters in this area, including Ruby Creek, Long Creek, Poorman Creek, Moose Creek and Bear Gulch, have produced gold. Such drainages have also created some of the most valuable nuggets in Alaska.
Ruby is in this region the primary center for the mines. The city is located on the Yukon River and is the main supply source for the placer mines operating in this region. Some of Alaska’s richest placers were working in the areas around Ruby from 1910 to 1920. There are only a handful of commercial mining operations here today, but it is very probable that good nuggets are still unearthed here.
