A man from central China discovered gold while slaughtering a duck, an unusual find that echoes ancient gold rush practices.

In February, a villager surnamed Liu from Longhui county, Hunan province, discovered the gold particles in a duck’s stomach.

After a burning test, the particles were confirmed to be genuine gold, weighing around 10g and valued at nearly 12,000 yuan (US$1,800), the mainland media outlet Xinwenfang reported.

Liu’s father saw it as a sign of good luck for the year ahead.

Liu said the ducks, raised free-range near a river once known for gold mining, likely swallowed mud containing gold particles.

The body cannot digest or absorb gold; it typically passes through the digestive system without harm.

However, larger or impure gold pieces could still cause issues like intestinal blockages or poisoning in both animals and humans.