In 2010, British IT worker James Howells mined about 8,000 BTC when Bitcoin was virtually worthless. A year later, he accidentally threw away the hard drive containing his private keys—unknowingly discarding what would become one of the most valuable storage devices in history.
Over the years, as Bitcoin’s value soared, Howells launched a relentless campaign to recover the drive from a landfill in Newport, Wales. He even offered the city millions if they allowed him to excavate the site.
👉 Read the story on CNBC
Despite his offers, the city council refused permission, citing environmental and financial risks. In 2025, Howells officially ended the search after a legal decision declared the discarded hard drive city property—and ruled the lost Bitcoin not legally recoverable.
👉 More details from The Guardian
At today’s prices, the lost Bitcoin is worth around €742 million—a sobering reminder of just how important proper Bitcoin storage can be.
👉 Learn about secure crypto storage on Ledger’s blog
