Gold rush in the Netherlands

Gold digging in Holland!

Nijverdal - Nijverdal bustled with excitement as news of a major gold strike in the area reached the little village. Hundred years ago, two eager prospectors claimed land and received an official concession from the dutch government to dig for gold. It was the first and only time that a discovery of gold was reported in the low countries. A gold rush in the Netherlands started!

Gold field Erica

Back in the early days of the 19th century, 2 man saw a glimmer in the sand and discovered gold in the Nijverdal area. After the concession for 'Gold mining field Erica' was in, they started mining. Their plan was to extract the gold from the sand by large-scale excavation. To determine the correct locations, they began taking soil samples that were sent to a laboratory for examination.

Fools gold

Unfortunately, after the laboratory research it turned out that the Nijverdal type of gold occurs naturally everywhere in the soil. Maybe also in your backyard! Extraction of the gold is possible, but it costs much more than it yields. The gold rush in Nijverdal was therefore short. Why the men had not discovered this earlier is unclear ... or could there really have been something? All that still refers to the Dutch gold rush time is the 'Goudzoekerspad ', the Gold Digger Trail, along the railway line and the Goldrush off-road triathlon where a golden medal is waiting for the winner...

Better luck: Rhine gold

You may have better luck along the Rhine near the little village of Spijk near the Dutch-German border. On the sandy beach at the north bank of the Rhine you can find small particles of gold with a gold pan in the sand on the clay layer. But don't count yourself rich - you'll have to work hard to recoup your travel expenses!