Striking It Rich
As he reached inside the old fuel canister, he had no idea what to expect. His hand brushed briefly against something smooth and cold. Alarmed, he yanked it out immediately.
Who knows what lurked in the tank after what they had just found in the other canister. Nick had no idea what he had gotten himself into. All he wanted was the tank. He had never bargained on becoming an instant millionaire by doing so.
A Man Of Mystery
Nick Mead was an average English bloke. Residing in Northampton, England, he seemed like your ordinary guy. However, he did have one part to his character that made him stand out from the rest.
Nick had a passion for tanks. So much so, that he began to collect old armored vehicles. But this quickly developed from a passion, into something far darker.
An Expensive Hobby
Nick’s passion quickly grew into an obsession. And he quickly began to acquire more and more collectible vehicles. But this came with a hefty price tag. Collecting tanks and other wartime vehicles were not the cheapest hobbies around.
These collectibles quickly began to burn a hole in Nick’s pocket. Especially since once acquired, they did nothing more than stand around. But then, Nick had a crazy idea. But it was so crazy that it just might work.
Tanks A Lot
Nick knew he needed to start making a profit off of his prized possessions. But war museums were so dated and boring. But then he had a stroke of genius. What if he turned it into a first-hand experience?
Nick was thrilled with this idea. As such, Tanks A Lot was born and introduced to the public. Soon, members of the community were enjoying rides in veteran war vehicles and thrill-seekers came from far and wide. But one day Nick saw something that would change his life forever.
A Rare Find
One day, while browsing through e-Bay, Nick came across a rare find. He stumbled upon a listing for an old Soviet T-54. This was sure a collector’s item. And Nick knew he had to have it.
Quickly, he entered into negotiations with the seller. But the man drove a hard bargain. And he wasn’t merely looking for monetary compensation.
A Compromise Is Met
When he learned of Nick’s profession, he insisted on doing a trade for the tank. And so, Nick had a tough choice ahead of him.
After much deliberation and sleepless nights, Nick agreed to the seller’s terms. As such, he bid farewell to two of his finest vehicles in exchange for the T-54. But Nick knew something the young seller did not.
Secret Advantage
Nick knew everything about warfare. And he knew that tanks were often used to transport valuable goods and people during times of war.
And the T-54 was a common vehicle used during the Iraq-Iran gulf war of the nineties. However, Nick did not expect to stumble upon the eerie find in one of the fuel canisters.
An Eerie Find
Nick and his team had a set routine when acquiring a new vehicle. They would check the tank from top to bottom, looking for faulty parts or hidden gems. And it just so happened that the T-54 was filled with the latter.
One day, his crew was taking apart the fuel canisters of the tank. However, one seemed to be out of service. When removed, Nick was astounded by the weight of the canister. But when he opened it up, he was not ready for what he found.
Doing The Right Thing
Reams and reams of old bullets fell from within the canister. Nick was astounded at the hidden arsenal. He also was cautious of it.
Old bullets were incredibly sensitive pieces of war memorabilia. If treated incorrectly, they may go off, causing mass destruction. As such, Nick went straight to the authorities to declare his find. But now Nick knew something. He knew that the tank was used as a keepsake hideaway box.
Filming Everything
He also knew that this could turn into something astronomically big for him and his company so he decided to start filming his progress, with his mechanic, Todd Chamberlain.
He wanted video proof too in case more ammunition was found. But what he was about to find was something far, far more valuable than old ammunition.
There Must Be More
Nick knew there must be more hidden within the tank. As such, he and his staff went to town on searching every nook and cranny of the vehicle.
He couldn’t afford for the old arsenal to be left within the tank. If a civilian became maimed by something he had missed inside the vehicle, he would be held accountable. And so, the great search began. But Nick was not prepared for what was found next.
Not Ready For This
Finding the next bit of hidden treasure wasn’t as hard as Nick thought. The team came across another faulty fuel canister. But this was different from the one before. It took two staff members to pry the canister off of its holding bracket with crowbars.
This canister seemed to weigh a ton. Quickly, Nick bore a hole in the bottom of the fuel tank to see if he could reach inside. He thought he’d find guns to accompany the hidden bullets he had found earlier. But this tank held a far richer keep.
A Hidden Fortune
As Nick slid his hand across the smooth surface, he got an instant thrill. Quickly, he latched onto the bar and pulled it out of the canister. This discovery sent him reeling. In his hand, Nick held a gleaming gold bullion.
He absolutely could not believe his luck! Nick marvelled at the bar and showed it to the team. Their eyes grew wide as they jolted into action, feeling encouraged and inspired.
Anticipation
Each of them grabbed a crowbar and tackled the heavy canister together. Their strength doubled with the adrenaline of the incredible moment.
On the count of three, they hoist the canister out to see what else was hidden within. And this is when things began to really heat up.
More Than Meets The Eye
One of Nick’s engineers began to reach into the fuel tank. And it seemed every time his hand came out, it was holding another bullion.
In total, the tank contained five gold bars! This was estimated to cost a whopping $2.4 million. Nick was baffled by the monumental find. But now, he was plagued by his conscience. What would he do with this treasure?
Real Gold!
First, Nick had to make sure that what he found was real. Although it sure felt and looked real, he had to be sure. So, he grabbed a weighing scale and nervously set them down.
It was as expected, each gold bar weighed about twelve pounds. These were definitely not fake. Nick really had found 2.4 million pounds worth of gold! But could he keep them?
Finders Keepers?
Everything in Nick’s being wanted to hold on to the bars. But he knew this was not a morally sound decision. Nor safe one. If he kept ownership of the bars, he would put his business and family at great risk.
He would be a target for crime should anyone learn of his fortune. As such, Nick decided to call the local police force. But still, he needed to know what would become of the bars.
Telling All
Nick brought the gold bars to the police station the next day and told them everything about his discovery. He brought his camera to record this conversation too.
With a find this huge, he wanted to make sure he had proof of everything. He watched as the police gasped and stared in shock at Nick's story. But what they said next, made Nick suspicious.
Debating Procedings
They asked Nick for the details of its previous owner and said that the first thing they should do is try to determine who actually owns the gold bars.
Nick agreed but also thought that the previous owner could claim he owned the gold bars if he wanted to. But it was obvious he never knew they were they. The canister wasn't opened for a very long time after all. He braced himself for a legal battle.
A Mysterious Owner
Nick was given a receipt by the police who then took the bars into police custody. The authorities would try and find the rightful owners of the goods. But what would happen should the previous owner, or no one claim them at all?
Nick wasn't sure. But still, for safekeeping, he kept the receipt of the bars in a bank vault. Authorities came back with a baffling theory on who the previous owners may be.
Explanation
Luckily his legal battle never came. The police explained the previous owner was shocked at the find but didn't dare claim the gold as his own. Instead, they had another wild theory.
The police shared news which Nick sure was not ready for. They speculated that the owner of the gold may have been Saddam Hussein himself!
What Ever Will Happen?
The police told Nick that his type of tank was favored by the war veteran during the Iraq-Iran war. Plus, Saddam Hussein's troops were known to pillage the rich Persian Gulf.
That would explain the gold and how it got there. But for how long were they there, and how could they have been left there by the troops? This is where the story got wilder.
The Backstory
The Iran-Iraq war was a protected armed conflict that began in 1980 when Iraq invaded its neighbor, Iran. The war lasted eight years and ended with a cease-fire in 1988 and a formal signing peace agreement in 1990.
Saddam Hussein, Iraq's president at the time, wanted to seize control of the rich oil-producing Iranian border region of Khuzestan. But once they started attacking the oil-tanker shipping that supplied the rest of the world, the US and Europe got involved to ensure a steady flow to the rest of the world. But what about the gold?
Gold Origins
The gold is thought to be Kuwaiti in origin—Iraqi forces engaged in widescale looting of the country after the August 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
Six months after the end of the war, Iraqi authorities returned 3,216 gold bars under UN supervision. But obviously, 5 bars escaped the authorities and through incredible odds, ended up in the hands of Nick.
The Legend Continues
Nick was not only involved in a discovery of a lifetime but now felt even more connected to his life's mission of collecting and repurposing old war tanks, as well as the Iraq-Iran war.
Even though he has the most incredible story to tell, one question remains the same. Still to this day, no solid claims have been made regarding the gold, and the ownership of them still remains a mystery.