California miner Joe Cullen found a substantial gold nugget at the Ruby Mine in Sierra County in 1968. Nearly six decades later, the 14.51-troy-ounce specimen known as the “Cullen Nugget” sold for $71,875 at Heritage Auctions' Nature and Science Signature Auction on April 29, 2026. The nugget weighs 451.41 grams and measures 2.44 by 2.24 by 0.77 inches. Heritage identifies it as native gold from the Ruby Mine on Mineral Mountain, part of the historic Alleghany Mining District, also known as the Forest Mining District. Its documented ownership history stretches from Cullen to W. Leicht, then to the J. Marshall Collection in 1993, before the specimen entered a private collection in the northeastern United States. Nearly 60 years after it was pulled from the California mine, the nugget returned to the auction market with its discovery and ownership history intact.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
