A metal detectorist in Australia found something quite special at a historic site in Victoria on January 24.
Angus James is passionate about uncovering treasures long hidden in the dirt, and that passion lead him to an abandoned sports field near Ballarat, Fox News reported Tuesday.
While digging, James discovered a bronze coin from Japan that is known as a 100 Mon Tempo Tsuho which was used to buy everyday items during the 19th century.
Images show James holding his find. The coin has a square cutout in the middle and features Chinese characters, a common practice when it was produced:
James said he did not expect to find such a rare piece and was excited when he unearthed it.
“Finding a Japanese coin this old in Australia is extremely rare. I have found Chinese coins from the Gold Rush era. To find a Japanese coin this old is a great discovery,” he said.
The site where he found it was used as a campsite during the Australian Gold Rush, according to the Fox article. People found gold there in the 1850s, with the first discoveries of payable gold in Ophir, Ballarat, and Bendigo Creek, the National Museum of Australia’s website reads.
“In 1851 gold-seekers from around the world began pouring into the colonies, changing the course of Australian history,” the site continued. “The gold rushes greatly expanded Australia’s population, boosted its economy, and led to the emergence of a new national identity.”
In 2025, James found another rare coin while treasure hunting in Victoria, Yahoo! News reported.
He discovered “half of a Mexican 8 reales coin, which would have been cut in half to create a smaller value of currency, hence the term, ‘piece of eight’ — featured in the pirate novel Treasure Island,” the article said.
“The first reales were struck in Spain back in 1497, and the coin eventually became the preferred international currency,” it noted.