James Howell - who is it?
James Howell is probably going down in history for having gotten into one of the most unfortunate self-inflicted accidents.
A British IT engineer who accidentally threw away a hard drive in 2013. On that disk were stored 7,500 bitcoins. Today, those bitcoins would be worth over 300 million dollars!
Where did he get that amount of bitcoins?
Back in 2009, Howells started mining Bitcoin as a hobby. He used his personal laptop and mined 7,500 BTC when Bitcoin was practically worthless.
At that time, mining was relatively easy and didn't require the specialized hardware used today.
And how did he lose them?
Fast forward to 2013, Howells had stopped mining and dismantled his laptop. He kept the hard drive in a drawer, thinking it might come in handy someday. Unfortunately, during a cleanup, he mistakenly threw it away, thinking it was an old, useless drive.
The hard drive ended up in the Docksway landfill site in Newport, Wales. This landfill covers an area the size of a football field and has layers of waste reaching up to 15 meters deep in some areas. The chances of finding the drive seemed slim.
Efforts to find the lost millions
The Bitcoin website reported that Howell now has in place a plan spanning 12 months. It involves searching the landfill using X-Ray scanning devices and AI technology.
He told The Sun that the Bitcoin in the dump, currently worth £340 million, might hit a billion by the time council officials act.
“I have put together a full consortium of experts in the field to refute all of the claims that the council has said it has concerns over,” Howell told the publication.
Lara Croft in the world of cryptocurrency
After realizing his mistake, Howells contacted the local council, proposing an excavation plan.
He detailed a methodical approach to excavating the landfill, including safety and environmental protection measures. However, his request was rejected because of the potential risks involved.
Over the years, Howells made several attempts to persuade the council. His latest proposals included securing venture capital funding and offering a substantial share of the Bitcoins as a reward for recovery. Despite his efforts, the council remained firm in its refusal.
First UK's "crypto hub"
If James Howells manages to find his lost hard drive containing 7,500 bitcoins, he plans to gift 50 pounds in bitcoins to each of Newport's 160,000 residents and turn the city into the UK's first "crypto hub."
“If we’re successful in recovering the coins, then I made a pledge to the people of Newport to literally give people in Newport crypto directly,” said Howells in an interview with journalist Richard Hammond.
What can be gleaned from this story?
The saga of James Howells is a modern treasure hunt and a stark reminder of the importance of backing up and securely storing digital assets. Will he ever find his lost fortune? Only time will tell...
