THE LARGEST SURVIVING NATURAL GOLD NUGGET FOUND IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
The Boot of Cortez
A natural gold nugget in the unmistakable shape of a conquistador’s boot — 383.10 troy ounces, or 26.2 pounds (11.9 kilograms), 98% pure, preserved in pristine condition with its original form intact. Documented discovery, measured mass, and an uninterrupted chain of custody.
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Mass
383.10 troy ounces, or 26.2 pounds (11.9 kilograms)
Dimensions
10¾ in. (27.3 cm) tall × 7¼ in. (18.4 cm) wide
Purity
98% pure native gold · rich, luminous golden hue
Origin
Caborca, Sonora, Mexico · recovered 1989
Form
Natural gold nugget in the shape of a conquistador’s boot
Condition
Pristine · original form maintained
Longform
A discovery in the Sonoran desert
In 1989, a prospector working with a Radio Shack metal detector walked the desert near Caborca, Sonora — about seventy miles south of the Arizona border and sixty miles east of the Sea of Cortez. What he uncovered was a single mass of native gold in the unmistakable silhouette of a conquistador’s boot: 383.10 troy ounces (26.2 lb / 11.9 kg), 98% pure, preserved in pristine original form.
The Boot of Cortez quickly became one of the most celebrated mineral finds of the modern era. It has been exhibited at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In January 2008, the piece achieved over $1.3 million at auction before entering a distinguished private collection, where it has remained for nearly two decades — unseen by the public until now.
Fewer than a handful of natural gold specimens of this scale, integrity, and visual distinction are known to exist.
Chronology
Timeline
1989
Discovered by a prospector near Caborca, Sonora, Mexico
1990s–2000s
Exhibited at Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®, Houston Museum of Natural Science, American Museum of Natural History
January 2008
Achieved over $1.3 million at auction
2008–present
Held privately in a distinguished collection, unseen by the public for nearly two decades
Friday, June 12th at 1 PM
Auction by EJ’s Auction & Appraisal, Glendale, Arizona. Opening bid $1 million USD. Registration required before June 9.