The Boot of Cortez - a 26.2-pound natural gold nugget shaped uncannily like a conquistador's boot and long billed as the largest surviving nugget in the Western Hemisphere - is headed to Glendale for a high-profile auction on Friday, June 12. EJ's Auction & Appraisal plans to open bidding at $1 million, with expectations that collectors, museums and deep-pocketed investors will all be in the mix. Thanks to its sheer size and dramatic silhouette, the nugget is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about natural-history sales in the Valley this year.
What the Boot of Cortez Is
The specimen stands roughly 10¾ inches tall and about 7¼ inches wide, weighs in at 383.10 troy ounces (around 26.2 pounds) and has tested at about 98% gold. EJ's reports that the nugget was unearthed in 1989 near Caborca, Sonora, and says independent calibrated weighing and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) testing verified both its mass and its purity. The auction house describes the Boot of Cortez as being in “pristine condition” and unusually well preserved for a natural gold specimen, according to EJ’s press release.
Auction details
The live sale is scheduled for 1 p.m. local Arizona time on June 12 at EJ's gallery at 5880 W Bell Road, Suite B in Glendale, with options for remote participation by pre-qualified bidders. The online catalog shows an opening bid of $1 million and an estimate in the $3 million to $7 million range, along with a confidential reserve. Registration rules, bidder qualification steps and logistics are laid out on the house catalog and registration page, according to EJ’s auction catalog.
Where it's been
The Boot of Cortez has already done the museum and show circuit, appearing at major venues including the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. It last surfaced on the public market in January 2008, when it sold for more than $1.3 million at Heritage Auctions, a price that significantly exceeded the bullion value at the time. That combination of exhibition history and auction pedigree helps position the nugget as a trophy specimen rather than a straightforward bullion investment, per Heritage Auctions' listing.
Why collectors are watching
Auction veterans say that pieces of this size and provenance tend to attract museums and serious private collectors who care as much about story and display impact as they do about metal content. EJ's promotional materials and its catalog stress the nugget's rarity and unusually pristine form as key reasons the estimate runs into the multimillion-dollar range, and the auction announcement was distributed widely through PR Newswire.
How to see it or bid
Prospective buyers must register and complete bidder qualification by June 9, with private viewings arranged by appointment for approved parties and a $100,000 deposit required as part of registration, according to the auction terms on the offering page at EJ’s auction page. Local station 12News noted a free public preview on May 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., although EJ's auction materials emphasize appointment-only viewings for registered bidders. Anyone hoping to see the nugget in person should check directly with EJ's for the most current viewing options.
Whether the Boot of Cortez ultimately lands in a museum case, a private display or on the road as part of a new traveling exhibition, its appearance on a Glendale auction block is poised to be one of the summer's standout collectibles events in the Valley. EJ's is routing media inquiries and bidder registration through its concierge team and the auction catalog page.
