THIS GOLD NUGGET WAS SALVAGED FROM THE ESPADARTE SHIPWRECK OFF THE COAST OF MOZAMBIQUE BY THE SALVAGE OPERATOTS OF  THE ARQUEONAUTAS COMPANY.

GOLD NUGGET IS AS FOUND AND HAS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BEING USED IN SOLDER AS SOLID MASS FORMATION OF THIS NUGGET COMPARED TO GOLD FLAKES WHICH IS HOW MOST GOLD FROM AFRICA WAS MORE ALLUVIAL IN NATURE.

HISTORY AT THE END OF THE 16th CENTURARY THE PORTUGUESE STARTED TO TRADE IN AFRICA AND SURPASSED THE ARABS AS THE MAIN TRADERS IN THIS REGION.

THE ARABS TRADED OFF MOZAMBIQUE WITH THE FAMOUS WEALTHY KINGDOM OF MONOMOTAPA

THE PORTUGUES MAINLY TRADED IN SPICES, IVORY AND OF COURSE GOLD.

A TEAM OF DIVERS FROM ARQUEONAUTAS RECOVERED A SMALL AMOUT OF GOLD FROM THE ESPARDARTE SHIPWRECK OF 1558 IN THE BAY OF IIHA DE MOCAMBIQUE

THIS NUGGET WEIGHS  .77 GRAMS AND IS IN A DISPLAY CONTAINER 17 MM DIAMETER

SIZE OF GOLD NUGGET  12 X7X5   MM

MOST GOLD NUGGETS WORLDWIDE  AVERAGE BETWEEN 96% TO 99% PURE GOLD

GOLD HAS TO BE SMELTED TO MAKE PURE GRADE 99.99%

THIS NUGGET I ESTIMATE WOULD HAVE MEDIUM  RANGE  PURITY FACTOR AS WE SPECIALIZE IN AUSTRALIAN GOLD AS PER OUR LISTINGS ON GEMROCKAUCTIONS COPY AND PASTE TO VIEW

http://www.gemrockauctions.com/auctions/gold/australian-gold-nuggets/

THIS NUGGET IS SUPPLIED WITH COPY OF CERTIFICATE TO COVER LISTINGS ONLY ON COINS-AUCTIONED FROM CO 175 TO CO 217