A metal detectorist exploring an Australian Gold Rush-era campsite made a remarkable discovery in recent weeks — even without striking gold. Angus James, a treasure hunter in the Australian state of Victoria, was sweeping an abandoned sports field — known locally as a sports oval — on Jan. 24 when he uncovered an unusual coin. The field, north of the mining town of Ballarat, had been used as a campsite during the Australian Gold Rush, which began in 1851 and continued for decades. Digging in the dirt, James realized the coin was Japanese in origin — and made of bronze. The find was no ordinary piece of currency. It ... (full story)