Losing a crypto wallet could be nerve-wracking—painful and almost impossible to recover. Just ask this guy from the U.K. who’s on a 12-year mission to dig through a landfill for his lost hardware wallet. His new plan? Buy the entire dump.
Sounds crazy? Maybe. But with 8,000 bitcoins inside, it is now worth a jaw-dropping $775 million, making it the most expensive game of treasure hunt ever.
Read more: Lost your crypto wallet? Here’s what to do
James Howells, a computer engineer from Newport, Britain, lost access to his hardware crypto wallet containing 8,000 bitcoins in 2013 after his former girlfriend mistakenly disposed of the hard drive while clearing out old computer parts.
At that time, Bitcoin was trading at only $100, and now the leading cryptocurrency has even surpassed the $100,000 mark.
Disheartened and frustrated, Howells rushed to the landfill—roughly the size of a football field—only to realize that recovering his hardware crypto wallet was nearly impossible. Determined, he approached the Newport City Council, offering them 10% of the recovered Bitcoin’s value in exchange for permission to excavate the site. However, the council rejected his request many times, citing environmental concerns. Even when he took legal action, the answer remained a firm no.
Read more: What to know about crypto wallets and how to pick the right one for you
Now, Howells is looking to purchase the Newport landfill where his hard drive was dumped, as the site is set to close sometime this year—potentially his last chance to recover his lost fortune.
Despite numerous failed attempts, he remains determined to reclaim his crypto wallet. However, the bigger question remains: even if he manages to retrieve it, what are the chances it will still be in working condition?
How to recover a crypto wallet?
There are some ways to get your crypto wallet back. Start by contacting the wallet provider, i.e., the company whose wallet you are using. The company may help if you can provide sufficient details, such as the email address or phone number associated with your account. While this isn’t a guaranteed solution, it’s worth reaching out to them for help.
One man recovered $3 million in Bitcoin after 11 years
In 2024, a man in Europe recovered nearly $3 million in Bitcoin after thinking his password was lost forever. The anonymous man, dubbed “Michael,” hired a team of security researchers who were able to unlock his Bitcoin wallet and retrieve 43.6 bitcoins.