The boy who struck gold: How a 3-year-old unearthed a $4 million treasure

A three-year-old boy in England made an extraordinary discovery while using a metal detector for the very first time. Accompanied by his father on a casual treasure-hunting outing in a field near Hockley, Essex, young James struck gold — literally.

As he used his dad’s metal detector, the device suddenly beeped, prompting them to dig. And they unearthed a 500-year-old gold pendant valued at an astonishing $4 million.

This happened in 2009, but the story of Wyatts’ good fortune is doing the rounds on social media. The pedant is now on display at the British Museum.

Weighing about a third of an ounce and composed of 73% pure gold, the pedant is believed to date back to the time of Henry VIII. Experts have identified it as a reliquary — a small container used to hold religious relics.

Diamond-shaped and intricately designed, the pendant features a female saint on the front, likely representing the Virgin Mary, holding a cross. The back is engraved with the Five Holy Wounds of Christ, which were popular devotional symbols during the medieval period.

Following the discovery, an inquest officially declared the item a treasure trove under British law.