A 12-year-old's "cool rock" sparked an industry that made North Carolina the nation's gold leader before California's infamous gold rush.

Investors who have bought into gold miners, pawnbrokers and jewellery retailers since the start of 2025 have struck gold, loading their pockets with more wealth and lifting their spirits higher.

In this modern-day gold rush, some amateur prospectors are going out in hopes of striking the motherload. Others are turning to social media to become gold digging influencers. Gold has been on ...