I found £2m in GOLD inside Iraqi tank after buying it on eBay for £30,000 – then I made biggest mistake and lost it all
A MAN who found £2million worth of gold inside an Iraqi tank after buying it on eBay for just £30,000 was left devastated after losing the fortune.
Nick Mead, 62, found five bars worth the eye-watering sum in the ex-Iraqi Army Type 69, a Chinese copy of the Soviet T-55, while restoring it to add to his collection of 150 military vehicles in 2017.
He and mechanic Todd Chamberlain were filming themselves prising open the diesel tank in case they found munitions and needed to show it to bomb disposal crews.
Instead, they pulled out the bars, weighing up to 12lb — 5kg — apiece.
Pal Todd said a quick calculation suggested they were worth in excess of £2million.
Stunned by the discovery, Nick handed the gold to the authorities.
Read More in UK News
After calling police, two officers took away the bars and gave them a receipt.
But six years later, he has admitted he wished he had kept the hidden booty.
Nick who runs Tanks-a-Lot on his farm in Northamptonshire, told : "I regret handing it in. I should have at least got a finders' fee for it but I got absolutely nothing.
"When we found the gold bars we didn't know what to do with them. It's not like you can take five gold bars down to the pawn shop - so we called the police.
Most read in The Sun
"Gold has a fingerprint. They know where it's been mined. It was definitely stolen from Kuwait."
He continued: "At the time there were all these wonderful conspiracy theories claiming we had kept it. But I haven't got any money for it, sadly."
Mr Mead said he isn't sure what has happened to the gold and believed the authorities were still trying to track down the bullion's owners.
"I used to be a butcher. Had I known I would have got nothing for finding it, I would have got my knife and chopped a slice off and taken it to Cash Converters."
The vehicle was restored by previous owner Joe Hewes, 23, who replaced its tracks and fixed its engine without ever discovering the valuable booty inside.
It's believed the bullion was looted by plundering Iraqi soldiers during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait but forgotten about inside the 36.7ton armoured beast.
Todd and Nick had already found machine gun ammunition while stripping down the tank and were worried they would find guns.
Instead, they discovered the gold, which they believe was looted by Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait during the Gulf War.
The tank was later captured and shipped to Britain.
It is thought inquiries will be made in Kuwait to see if the gold can be matched to any bullion which was stolen during Iraq's invasion in August 1990.
Cops took the bars away for investigation and handed Nick a receipt which is now being kept in a safety deposit box in London.
Nick said: "It's all very much up in the air at the moment.
"It's very early days and I'm not sure what will happen yet."
He added that he was unsure if he would receive a "finder's" percentage.
But Nick does not seem bothered that £2million might have just slipped through his fingers.
He said: "The chances of us keeping it are very slim.
"I've had quite a few strange phone calls.
"I got a call from one person claiming to be a colonel in the British Army saying it was his.
"It's really good fun to have found it. It certainly is interesting."
What to do if you find gold?
Owning gold bullion is fully legal in the UK, offering individuals the freedom to invest in this precious metal without restrictions.
With no reporting requirements imposed on owners, investors can enjoy both the financial benefits and privacy associated with holding physical gold bars, according to
However, if you find gold bullion you must report treasure to the local coroner within 14 days of first finding it.
The Treasure Act applies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Under the Act, treasure is owned by the Crown when found and a person who finds an object they believe to be treasure must notify the relevant authorities within 14 days.
You will be contacted by either a local Finds Liaison Officer or museum curator to talk about how and where you made the find and will be given a receipt.
The Finds Liaison Officer or museum curator will then write a report on the find.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Museums can express an interest in it if it might be treasure.
The coroner will then hold an inquest. You may be invited to the inquest, along with the site occupier and landowner of where the treasure was found, and given the opportunity to ask questions.