SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 26: A pile of Bitcoins are shown here after Software engineer Mike Caldwell minted them in his shop on April 26, 2013 in Sandy, Utah.(Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) CARDIFF, Wales (CBS DC) – A British man says he threw out a hard drive that had 7,500 bitcoins on it, worth over $7.5 million as of Wednesday.James Howells of Wales purchased the suddenly skyrocketing Internet currency for almost nothing back in 2009.He says he likely threw out the hard drive sometime over the summer, and only recently remembered what was on it.“You know when you put something in the [trash], and in your head, say to yourself ‘that’s a bad idea’?I really did have that,” Howells, who works in IT, told the Guardian.A few months after Bitcoin’s launch, Howells created a computer program to “mine” the digital currency.Fun Photos: RGIII’s 9 Faces He later spilled lemonade on that laptop, so he dismantled it for parts, keeping the hard drive in a drawer for three years.

The drive contains the cryptographic “key” that is necessary to access and spend the Bitcoins.ethereum online walletWithout that key, the “money” cannot be spent and is lost forever.bitcoin acid testIt was just this past summer that he went through his belongings and threw out the hard drive, thinking it was junk.bitcoin sec dateWhen he realized his mistake, Howells searched all his storage devices for a backup copy but could not find one.$100 bitcoin minerThen he went down to the landfill with the idea of digging for it, but was told it’s not as simple as going in with a shovel.ethereum speed“[E]ven for the police to find something, they need a team of 15 guys, two diggers, and all the personal protection equipment.bitcoin and litecoin charts

So for me to fund that, it’s not possible without the guarantee of money at the end.” But he’s still hopeful that someone may find the hard drive, and split the take with him.“If they were to offer me a share, fair enough,” he said.“If they were to go out and find it for themselves … it’s my mistake throwing the hard drive out, at the end of the day.” D.C.Lottery LiveFollow and Like Us El Zol 107.9 94.7 Fresh FM WPGC 95.5 FM 106.7 The Fan Classic 94.7A man has shared his grief after he unknowingly threw out a portable hard drive seven years ago which is now worth $4.8 million.Campbell Simpson, editor of technology website Gizmodo Australia, says he missed out on incredible riches because he jettisoned a piece hardware containing 1400 Bitcoins, a form of internet currency.Seven years later, the digital market for Bitcoin skyrocketed and Mr Simpson's seemingly insignificant internet cash, which he bought for $25, is now worth millions of dollars.

Campbell Simpson (pictured) says he threw out a hard drive containing Bitcoins now worth $4.8 million Bitcoins are internet currency that have skyrocketed in price over the last few yearsThe Sydney journalist ruefully penned an article about his near-miss at achieving remarkable wealth on Gizmodo and described how he came to throw out his $4.8 million hard drive in the bin.Bitcoin, which is online currency linked to a user's cyber wallet, is payment used to trade on the internet and is accepted by many businesses.In 2010 Mr Simpson's 1400 Bitcoins were only worth around $25, but now, one Bitcoin is worth AUD$3221.'Atthe start of 2010, Bitcoin trading wasn't even really a thing.It was hard to find anywhere that would accept BTC,' Mr Simpson wrote.'Iused the hard drive for a whole bunch of things.Storing pirated music and movies and TV series, a portfolio of my best tech writing work, all my uni assignments, photos of friends and family and the couple of holidays that I'd taken.'But

as he was preparing to move homes, Mr Simpson did the unthinkable.In 2010 Mr Simpson's (left) 1400 Bitcoins were only worth around $25, but now, one Bitcoin is worth AUD$3221 'At the start of 2010, Bitcoin trading wasn't even really a thing.It was hard to find anywhere that would accept BTC,' Mr Simpson said 'I think I might be a touch emotionally fragile right now,' the journalist said after discovering his lost profits 'I threw away $4.8million': Mr Simpson realised his 1400 Bitcoins would now be worth millions'I didn't need, or care about, anything on it.So I threw it away,' he said.When Bitcoin usage on the internet started to explode, Mr Simpson regularly - albeit bitterly - checked how much his 1400 was worth.Upon realising his Bitcoin collection would have been worth $4000 several months later, Mr Simpson was slightly annoyed.But this month Bitcoin reached an historic high price, making his once-measly hard drive of worthless internet currency a $4.8 million goldmine.'This

is probably one of the stupidest things, in hindsight, that I've ever done.And I've done a lot of stupid things a lot of times,' Mr Simpson said.When Bitcoin usage on the internet started to explode, Mr Simpson regularly - albeit bitterly - checked how much his 1400 coins were worth But this month Bitcoin reached an historic high price, making his once-measly hard drive of worthless internet currency a $4.8 million goldmine 'This is probably one of the stupidest things, in hindsight, that I've ever done,' he wrote Mr Simpson said he could have even bought a house in Sydney if he kept the hard driveThe tech writer says he has been offered advice on how to potentially retrieve the long-gone hard drive, but he admits he won't bother trying to find it.'Idon't even especially to find those Bitcoin, though.I'm really happy with my life at the moment.I don't need them,' he wrote.'I'mgenerally pretty easygoing in life, I think, and I can laugh about it for like 95 per cent of the time, but also, man.