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A Northern California couple out walking their dog on their property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree. Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them. Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to more than $28,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1 million apiece. "I don't like to say once-in-a-lifetime for anything, but you don't...

TV host Huell Howser famously exposed California with bug-eyed wonder, but kept one little piece of it to himself -- his desert hideway ... which just hit the market one year after his death.Real estates sources tell us ... Howser's bachelor pad in Twentynine Palms just went on the market ... for $395K. Huell died from cancer in Jan. 2013 ... and his Estate stands to make some good cash off the sale of the 2 Br, 2.5 BA ranch home.

Bathed in the rays of a Los Angeles sunset, hundreds of fans gathered near Griffith Observatory Tuesday to pay tribute to a man they believed was truly "California's Gold."

The hour-long public sunset memorial on Mount Hollywood was held to honor Huell Howser, the folksy travel host who died on Jan. 7 after decades of highlighting California's people and landmarks.

"Huell you are amaaaaaazing," proclaimed pop-culture humorist Charles Phoenix, using one of the host's favorite terms as he shouted up into the sky during the tribute. "Thank you, Huell, for sharing the stories and the glories of the greatest state in the country like nobody else."

The 67-year-old Tennessee native had been battling cancer for the last two years and died at his home in Palm Springs. The memorial, organized by Los Angeles City Councilman Tom Labonge, was held just a few miles away from the home he kept in Los Angeles off Rossmore Avenue.

Huell Howser died of prostate cancer, according to his official death certificate.

The document, first obtained by TMZ, notes that 67-year-old host of Kcet's "California's Gold" died Jan. 7, 2013 at 2:35 a.m. The certificate also says that Howser's remains were cremated and scattered off the coast of Los Angeles County.

His parents' names are another interesting detail on the certificate; Howser's first name, "Huell," is a combination of his father's name, Harold, and his mother's name, Jewell.

Howser retired from is long-running public TV show in Nov. 2012 amid rumors he was seriously ill, reported the Los Angeles Times last year.

The day after Howser died, friend and producer Ryan Morris confirmed to NBC La that the broadcaster had been battling cancer for the past two years.

Howser was memorialized Tuesday during a public "Sunset Salute" service at Griffith Observatory organized by La councilmember Tom Labonge.

Online tributes created by ardent fans,...

TV icon Huell Howser -- who hosted Kcet's "California's Gold" for 18 seasons -- died after a battle with prostate cancer ... this according to his official death certificate, obtained by TMZ. Howser passed away at 2:35 Am on January 7 at his home in Palm Springs, CA ... just a short time after he quietly and unexpectedly retired from TV. According to the death certificate, filed with the Dept. of Health, Huell's remains were cremated ... and his ashes...

Only Huell Howser could have lived on a spaceship atop a volcanic cone in California.

The space-age retreat, which was constructed in 1968, resembles a flying saucer and looks out over a 60-acre property. It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and is located in the desert between Los Angeles, Calif. and Las Vegas, Nev. Curbed La has more on the home's history:

Originally commissioned by aircraft-mechanics genius Vard Wallace as a personal retreat, the home was designed by prolific and versatile Southern California architect Harold Bissner, Jr. and completed in 1968. The inspiration? San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear plant in northwestern San Diego county.

Howser listed the home in 2009 for $750,000 but eventually donated the entire thing to Chapman University in Orange, Calif. in April 2012. At the time, university President Jim Doti recalled to the campus newspaper that Howser would "much rather gift it to Chapman than sell it,” and...

Los Angeles (AP) — Huell Howser, the homespun host of public television's popular "California's Gold" travelogues, has died at age 67. Howser died at his home Sunday night from natural causes, said Ayn Allen, corporate communications manager for Kcet. No other details were available. For years, "California's Gold" took viewers to many parts of the Golden State, with Howser doing folksy, highly enthusiastic interviews and narration in a distinctive twang he brought with him from his native Tennessee. Howser's friendly interview format was characterized by a gentle inquisitiveness and a love for little stories punctuated by his hallmark exclamations of "That's...

Right about now, Huell Howser is ambling through the pearly gates and giving souls tour of Heaven -- at least according to his fans on Twitter.

In death as in life, fans of the "California's Gold" host are continuing to gently parody Howser's folksy enthusiasm and signature catchphrase with tweets and comments. Only this time, the parodies take place in paradise.

Below, the funniest tweets in memory of Huell Howser.

California is a little less golden today. Huell Howser, beloved host of California's Gold among other television programs, has died. He was 67. "We are deeply saddened by the news of Huell's passing. This is a tremendous personal and professional loss to his friends and colleagues, as well as his legions of fans," Los Angeles television station Kcet, the home of Howser's travel shows, said Monday in a statement. The eternally curious host was celebrated for his love of all things California. In addition to California's Gold, Howser was also behind the shows California's Golden Parks, Road Trip With Huell Howser, Visiting…With Huell Howser and more. The seasoned TV man wrote, produced...

Huell Howser, host of public TV show "California's Gold," died in his home Sunday evening of natural causes.

Howser, who was 67 when he passed, was a beloved TV personality who explored and showcased California's history, traditions and communities. He had several California-centric shows throughout his decades-long career, but is best known for "California's Gold," produced at Kcet studios in Los Angeles, Calif.

A spokesperson from Kcet confirmed to The Huffington Post that Huell died of natural causes, and that his death caught many at the studio by surprise. Kcet nightly news show SoCal Connected plans to honor Howser with a special segment during Monday's broadcast (on at 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Pst). The studio will also create a site for fans to share memories of Howser. To stay informed about the online memorial, check out kcet.org.

Oc Weekly first reported Howser's death. His assistant Ryan Morris confirmed...

California's Gold host Huell Howser passed away in Palm Springs Sunday of natural causes, Kcet confirmed on Monday.

Pics: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time

The TV icon, best known for his enthusiasm and folksy demeanor, was 67 when he died at his home just months after retiring due to health concerns.

Howser made a name for himself as a reporter for Entertainment Tonight and CBS news. He went on to specialize in programs dedicated to small towns, landmarks, and places of interest in California.

L.A. TV icon Huell Howser -- best known for hosting the wildly popular travel show  "California's Gold" on Kcet -- has passed away at age 67. A rep for Kcet tells TMZ, Howser died in his L.A. home late Sunday night of natural causes ... details surrounding his death have not been released. He hosted his Cali travel show for 18 seasons -- and only recently retired in November after completing over 440 episodes. Fun fact: Howser...