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The legend of the ‘Lost Hoard’ or ‘Kruger Millions’ begins during the Second Boer War which had been raging for around seven months, with the British overpowering the Boers and pushing on to capture the capital.

It was around that time that then-president of the South African Republic, Paul Kruger, left Pretoria by train.

The train is said to have been carrying gold coins and bars, produced between 1893 and 1900, and had departed the station just 24 hours before the British arrived.

The gold, which is rumoured to be worth billions by today’s standards, was lost to history, although some suspected that a large portion of the hoard was buried to be used to fund the war efforts at a later stage.

Image: Paul Kruger, Provenance Photograph Collection

Treasure hunters have been searching for the gold for years. In 2001, it came to light that some of it had been found near Ermelo in Mpumalanga in the 1960s. Otherwise, it remained hidden.

Image: H.E. Winder

Then a large portion of it turned up in Switzerland.

According to Engineering News, the Kruger Ponde (pounds) were housed in the Netherlands in the early 20th century before being moved to Switzerland before the Second World War for safekeeping.

They remained in a Swiss vault for decades, until being sold at auction. Now the goods are back in South Africa and in the possession of the South African Mint.

South African Mint MD Honey Mamabolo says the discovery of the Lost Hoard is “truly awe-inspiring”, and that it is with great pride that the Mint can offer the coin sets to the numismatic fraternity.

Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and so on.

“The sets are the closest, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to physically own authentic remnants of the Transvaal gold.”

These original and certified coins are up for grabs in two sets.

The first 233 units comprise an 1893 to 1900 Lost Hoard Kruger half-pond, which is accompanied by a 2019 1/10 oz gold privy-mark proof Krugerrand.

Image: South African Mint / South African Reserve Bank

The second 677 sets consist of an 1893 to 1900 Lost Hoard Kruger full-pond and is accompanied by a 2019 quarter oz gold privy-mark proof Krugerrand.

The certification confirms the authenticity, legal tender status of being in circulation in South Africa from 1893 to 1900 as well as the correct weight of each individual coin.

The packaging of the sets features, besides other things, a replica of the original money bag in which the coins remained hidden for more than a century.

If you want to know how much they cost, you’ll need to contact the Mint.

There are likely more than a few treasure hunters out there looking for a new hobby.

[source:engineeringnews]