From the rings on our fingers to coins in our pockets and, for a select few, the medals hanging around our necks. Gold is one of the most coveted metals in the world.
Gold still has the power to change lives, but in the mid-19th century, it also sparked the largest migration in the history of the United States.
Don is joined by Professor Mark Eifler, author of 'The California Gold Rush: The Stampede that Changed the Nation', to find out how gold was discovered in California and who benefitted from it.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. The senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
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