Museum of Australian Democracy director Jane Smith said their current exhibition, Bling, had seen people bringing in pieces that had been discovered while digging, either as fossickers or even in their own backyard.

“Although 90 per cent of the gold that was discovered was sent back to England to be made into currency, some of it was kept here, and made into ornate gold fobs and tie-pins and rings, and elaborate pieces made for the women who the miners loved.”

The ring pictured above was discovered on the end of a pick buy a prospector. Its delicate engraving and hallmarks mean it was manufactured between 1852 and 1858 by William Lamborn.

It wasn’t uncommon for jewellery at the time to be lost, either through work or carousing or debt, and pieces are often worth much more as artefacts than just as gold, says Ms Smith.

MADE is holding an antique jewellery assessment day on July 2, 2pm to 4pm.