Matt James has collected gold nuggets for years from the hills and riverbeds of California, but as the precious metal's price soars, he has found an unexpected El Dorado: on social media.

Though the value has fluctuated, it has effectively doubled in the last two years, reaching an all-time high of more than $4,380 an ounce in October.

"My social media channels are definitely seeing an uptick in traffic right now," James told AFP during one of his expeditions in northern California, where the Gold Rush first erupted in the mid-1800s.

The rise in clicks on his posts -- and the related increase in commissions he makes on sales of products he uses in his prospecting -- has generated a new income source for James.

"I'm not getting rich by it, from it, by any means. But I'm certainly paying

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