I know I can so if this had been one you would not be reading this! When we were at the coast the other day I found a mysterious small oblong block of what we both took to be marble at the time but it was surprisingly heavy. We popped it into the superlight daypack to have as a keepsake as you do – even though it is no doubt like practically everything else probably illegal to do so.
I was just cleaning out the day pack tonight as part of a preparation for a new trip when I found it again. I was surprised when I scratched at it with my pocket knife that it shone silver back at me. Of course I immediately thought it might be silver and that it might be part of a larger hoard. We all have these fantasies at times.
Back in the C19th there was an infamous bullion robbery undertaken by one Martin Wyberg. It was Australia’s largest gold heist – worth probably close to a billion today! And it was never recovered. It has always been rumoured that it might yet be buried somewhere along the South Gippland Coast where I found this ingot – which is clearly what it was.
It was found above the high tide line, above the King tide line I judged so it could only have been carried there by exceptionally heavy seas. Amazing that the sea can throw up such a heavy thing! Of course to begin with I judged that this was impossible and that it must have come down the cliffs, dislodged from its hiding place perhaps by a wombat or a rabbit. I really thought I had a treasure of silver there for a few minutes!
I carefully measured and weighed it: 51mm x 11 x 19 and it weighed pretty much exactly 2500 grams which I worked out was 11.72 grams per cubic centimetre or 11,720 kg per cubic metre. Unfortunately silver weighs nearer 10,500 kg/M3 but lead weighs pretty much what this does! Prof Google also tells me that when lead is buried it turns white (like this) whereas silver turns black. Alas. So it is worth approx $2.50 instead of $1,000! Com si com sa!
I guess it was part of the lead ballast from perhaps a C19th sailing ship. There were no doubt many wrecked along these steep cliffs we had descended. I’m sure it may be of immense historical interest,. but it will be part of the interesting collection of found objects on our coffee table now – something like this!
See Also:
Superlight Hunting Pack: 193 Grams
