An astounding amount of gold was pulled from the ground during the California gold rush. In 1852 the take for the year was $80 million ($1.9 billion ... to bury $100,000 ($2.4 million in 2005 ...

On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo was signed, formally ending the war and handing control of California to the United States. Neither side knew that gold had recently been ...