Lost 8,000 BTC: James Howells Ends $950M Hard Drive Search After 12 Years

Superex 07/08/2025 13:40

James Howells, a computer engineer from Wales, has ended his 12-year search for a hard drive containing the private keys to 8,000 Bitcoin (BTC)—now worth around $950 million.

Howells accidentally discarded the drive in June 2013 during a home cleanup, when it was worth about $63 million. The device was believed to be buried in a Newport landfill, but the city council repeatedly denied excavation requests over environmental and financial concerns.


The landfill is estimated to be 15 meters deep with 200,000 tons of waste, making recovery highly impractical. A $620 million damages lawsuit filed by Howells in late 2024 was dismissed in January 2025.

Despite offering 30% of the recovered funds to the city and residents, logistical challenges and regulatory barriers brought the search to a close—highlighting the irreversible nature of early Bitcoin losses and the difficulties in recovering storage devices for digital assets.

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Author: Superex

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

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