King Solomon, of the royal House of David, is considered the richest human being the world has ever known. For centuries, the legend of his gold mines, said to be the source of much of his immense wealth, has captured the imagination of people from all nations and stations in life. According to the Bible, Solomon, the wise son of King David, ruled from Jerusalem from 970 to 930 BC, presiding over Israel’s Golden Age and becoming renowned not only for his extraordinary wisdom but also for his unmatched riches. 

Centuries later, in February 1851, Edward Hargraves ignited the Australia gold rush when he discovered gold in what is now known as Ophir, New South Wales. Thousands of eager prospectors from across the colonies and around the world flocked to the region, and within a decade, Australia was producing nearly a third of the world’s gold. The gold rush profoundly reshaped Australian society, transformed the nation’s economy, and ensured that, like Solomon’s legendary wealth, gold would leave a lasting mark on history.