Where Is the Gold? Ble Mae'r Aur?

I could hardly believe it! My great-great uncle Isaac’s treasure chest. I was so excited to see what was inside. It creaked open and smelled old. Inside were one, two, three, four gold coins – warm, yellow, shining, special.

But… that was it? Only four?

Where was the rest?

Where is the gold? Ble Mae'r Aur?

Under the coins lay a map, folded and wrinkled. Perhaps this would help me find the rest of the gold.

Around the edge of the map read “Decus et Tutamen,” this map was the real deal.

In the middle of the map were two letters: A.U.

Were they places? Or maybe questions? Or secret coordinates? Maybe AU marks the spot?

Where is the gold? Ble Mae'r Aur?

Next, a riddle: “Not buried in chests or sunk at sea, but slipping into places people stop looking.” What does this mean?

Then I remembered, gold is used in technology and electronics. Inside computers, phones, toasters and microwaves. Gold, precious gold, discarded as e-waste into landfills and dumps.

Where is the gold? Ble Mae'r Aur?

We looked at the coins again. The old faces of past Kings and Queens seemed to point the way, guiding us from left to right.

Obverse, adverse, heads, tails.

We followed.

Where was the gold? Ble Mae’r Aur?

The map folded smaller, to a land of castles and song.

Gwlad, Gwlad! This was Wales, once full of black gold.

AU does mark the spot! In Llantrisant, furnaces melt yellow gold so it can be milled, pressed, struck into bullion and bracelets again.

New coins engraved with animals and plants of our four Nations.

Here is the gold! Dyma'r aur!

Gold cannot be made.

Gold cannot be destroyed.

Gold can only be lost… or found again.

Here I am. Yma o Hyd.

Gigi Di Battista, 7.