The Quesnel Welcome sign is also the World's Largest Gold Pan and is in the heart of Gold County. It symbolizes Quesnel's deep history starting with the Gold Rush in 1857. Gold was first discovered on the Fraser River and by 1859 it had reached the Quesnel River.
Not only is this the World's Largest Gold Pan it is the World's Largest Mock Gold Nugget and the World's Largest Shovel and Pick. It was unveiled on June 19, 1987, and the big steel gold pan was the product of Linden Welding, a local machine and welding shop.
The World's Largest Gold Pan weighs 1,400 kg (3,087 lbs) and is 5.5 metres (18 feet) in diameter. On the lower end of the gold pan is a large gold nugget. Estimating the nugget weighs 145 troy ounces it would be valued at approximately $190,000 today.