A potato-sized gold nugget dug up in the Australian outback this month is worth about A$150,000 to A$160,000 at current gold prices. It could fetch up to A$200,000 from a collector. An amateur prospector from Broken Hill unearthed the 1,218-gram specimen on Mount Stuart station near Tibooburra, in the north-western corner of New South Wales, in mid-October. He has nicknamed it the “Tibooburra Spud.”
ABC News reported the find on 26 October 2026. Gold prices have climbed sharply this year, and the story shows that a rare outback find can still turn a weekend hobby into a six-figure windfall.
How Much Is the Potato-Sized Gold Nugget Worth?
On the spot price of gold, the nugget is worth between A$150,000 and A$160,000. That figure covers only the gold inside it. The piece weighs 1,218 grams, and testing shows about 940 grams of that is gold. The rest is quartz, so the gold makes up just over three-quarters of the total weight.
The finder plans to sell to a collector and says the price could climb as high as A$200,000. Here is what those figures look like in other currencies:
| Valuation | Australian dollars | US dollars | British pounds | Indian rupees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spot-price value (low) | A$150,000 | ≈ US$105,000 | ≈ £79,100 | ≈ ₹1.00 crore |
| Spot-price value (high) | A$160,000 | ≈ US$112,000 | ≈ £84,400 | ≈ ₹1.07 crore |
| Possible collector price | A$200,000 | ≈ US$140,000 | ≈ £105,000 | ≈ ₹1.34 crore |
Conversions are approximate, based on rates around 27 October 2026: roughly 0.70 US dollars per Australian dollar and about 66.8 rupees per Australian dollar. The pound figures for the first two rows come from IBTimes UK’s conversion of the ABC valuation. Exchange rates and gold prices move daily.
Treat every figure as an estimate
ABC did not publish its workings. A quick check shows why the numbers should stay approximate. ABC put gold at about A$5,700 per troy ounce at the time of its report. At that price, 940 grams (about 30.2 troy ounces) comes to roughly A$172,000, above the reported range. The gap could come down to rounding, the date of the price used, or testing margins. The real value is whatever a buyer pays.
Key Facts About the “Tibooburra Spud”
- Total weight: 1,218 grams, about 2.7 pounds or 39 troy ounces
- Gold content: about 940 grams
- Size: about 8 to 9 centimetres long, roughly the size of a large potato
- Location: Mount Stuart station, near Tibooburra, north-western New South Wales
- Found: mid-October 2026, reported on 26 October
- Finder: an anonymous amateur prospector from Broken Hill
- Detector: a Gold Monster 2000
How the Gold Nugget Was Found
The prospector had been digging at Mount Stuart station for several days. He was finishing up one day in mid-October when his detector picked up a signal. It was fainter than you would expect from something this large, and he almost walked past it.
At about 10 centimetres down, the machine began squealing. Within a scrape or two, he saw a bright yellow dot in the middle of the hole. Video shared by Broken Hill Prospecting Supplies shows him brushing dirt away and holding the muddy, potato-like lump in his hand.
Luck played a part, but so did persistence. He has fossicked for years and says most digs turn up scrap, such as lead bullets, old nails and horseshoes. His advice to newcomers is simple: keep walking, keep swinging the detector and dig every signal.
Why a Kilo-Sized Nugget Is So Rare
Greg Spangler has sold prospecting supplies in Broken Hill for about 20 years. In that time he has seen only one other person find a nugget heavier than a kilogram. Gold flakes and nuggets weighing a few ounces are the usual finds. He jokes that there is an informal “Ounce Club” for lucky prospectors, but few people belong to a kilo-sized one.
Still, the Spud is far from the largest nugget in Australian history. The Hand of Faith, found by Kevin Hillier with a metal detector near Kingower, Victoria, in 1980, weighed 875 troy ounces and sat only about 30 centimetres below the surface. That is roughly 22 times heavier than the Tibooburra find. It sold to a casino chain for more than US$1 million.
The Welcome Stranger, found at Moliagul, Victoria, in 1869, held more than 2,300 ounces and is regarded as the largest nugget ever discovered. The Spud is not in that league, but few modern prospectors ever find anything close to its size.
Gold Prices and the Outback Prospecting Boom
Gold approached A$8,000 per troy ounce in January 2026 before easing to about A$5,700 at the time of ABC’s report. Spangler says the surge in prices has drawn more people to the hobby. He also points to the fresh air, exercise and quiet of an early outback morning, and says it is a pastime the whole family can enjoy.
Prices have fallen from their peak, but the nugget’s value is still high compared with a few years ago. A find like this is also an unusual case. Most hobbyists will never come close to six figures.
Can Anyone Go Fossicking Near Tibooburra?
Prospecting around Tibooburra dates to the late 1880s and still draws tourists. The rules are specific, though:
- Fossicking on Tibooburra Common, the area around the town, is currently banned while Native Title permissions are being pursued.
- At least two stations in the region, Mount Stuart and Gumvale, allow fossicking for a fee.
The NSW Resources Regulator publishes a fossicking guide covering restrictions, permitted equipment and designated fossicking districts. It also points to consent and landholder requirements for private land. Check the current rules and get permission before you dig.
Why This Matters
For most readers, the Tibooburra Spud is a human-interest story, but it carries a few practical lessons.
Spot value is not sale price. A nugget’s gold content sets a baseline. The final price depends on the buyer, and that is why estimates here range from A$150,000 to A$200,000.
Expect scrap, not jackpots. By the finder’s own account, most digs yield rubbish. Anyone taking up fossicking should budget for the hobby, not for a windfall.
Gold prices drive behaviour. Rising prices appear to be pulling more people outdoors, according to a local supplier. That is one observer’s view, not a measured trend, and this article is not investment advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the potato-sized gold nugget worth?
About A$150,000 to A$160,000 at spot prices, which is roughly US$105,000 to US$112,000. The finder believes a collector could pay up to A$200,000.
Where was the nugget found?
On Mount Stuart station near Tibooburra, in the north-western corner of New South Wales.
How much pure gold does it contain?
Testing shows about 940 grams of gold in the 1,218-gram nugget. The remainder is mostly quartz.
Who found the Tibooburra Spud?
An amateur prospector from Broken Hill who wants to remain anonymous. He plans to sell it to a collector.
Is it the biggest gold nugget found in Australia?
No. The Hand of Faith weighed 875 troy ounces, and the Welcome Stranger held more than 2,300 ounces. Both were far larger than the Spud’s roughly 39 ounces in total.
Can I go fossicking at Tibooburra?
Possibly. Tibooburra Common is currently closed to fossicking, but Mount Stuart and Gumvale stations allow it for a fee. Check NSW Resources Regulator guidance first.
Conclusion
The Tibooburra Spud is a rare outback find: a 1.2-kilogram nugget with about 940 grams of gold, uncovered by an amateur prospector who nearly missed it. At spot prices it is worth around A$150,000 to A$160,000, and a collector sale could push that toward A$200,000.
It is far smaller than Australia’s famous record nuggets, but it shows that good gold is still being found, even in places prospectors have worked for more than a century.
Sources and References
- Australian Prospector Nearly Walks Past Gold Nugget Worth A$150,000 in Outback NSW, IBTimes UK
- Amateur Fossicker Finds 1.2kg Gold Nugget Near Tibooburra, Time News (used to corroborate ABC’s reporting)
- Prospector Unearths $150,000 Gold Nugget Dubbed ‘Tibooburra Spud’, HypeFresh (search excerpt only; the full page could not be opened)