Still golden after all these years

June 21, 2011 Todd DeFeo Seeing America
Photo by Todd DeFeo

LAS VEGAS — Some Las Vegas hotels have roller coasters as their signature attraction. Others lure tourists with dining and shows.

The Golden Nugget on Fremont Street has a … golden nugget. A large one at that.

Kevin Hillier found the “Hand of Faith” — a nugget weighing 61 pounds, 11 ounces — near Wedderburn, Australia, in 1980. A year later, the gold piece made its way to the casino where it is on display for the world to see.

The casino, which opened in August 1946, is one of Las Vegas’ oldest casinos.

The nugget — said to be the second largest ever discovered and the largest in existence — is valued at more than $3 million. The “Hand of Faith” is on display near the North Tower lobby.

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About Todd DeFeo 1633 Articles
Todd DeFeo loves to travel anywhere, anytime, taking pictures and notes. An award-winning reporter, Todd revels in the experience and the fact that every place has a story to tell. He is the owner of The DeFeo Groupe and also edits Express Telegraph and Railfanning.org.
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