Fans of The Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush can’t help but love one of the show’s stars, Tony Beets. The bearded miner doesn’t mince words, and his ambition to succeed is obvious. The reality show follows several family-run mining companies as they search for gold in Canada’s Klondike region.
The show follows the companies’ struggles to collect the most gold and reach their goals. They deal with weather, malfunctioning equipment, and ego clashes. Undoubtedly, the person that stands out the most is the outspoken Beets. Here are 10 facts you didn’t know about Gold Rush‘s Tony Beets.
1. Tony Beets Is Dutch
Tony Beets was born in Wijdenes, Netherlands, on December 15, 1959. He was raised on a farm and spent his early years milking cows. In 1984, he and his wife moved to Dawson’s Creek, Canada. Beets has had various occupations, including farming, construction, operating machinery, and oil pipeline work.
2. Tony Beets’ Gold Fever
Eventually, Tony Beets was drawn to the pursuit of gold. He began working in gold mines in Canada’s Yukon and quickly became successful. He is now one of the largest gold miners in Canada and owns the Tamarack Mine and Paradise Hills. The Tamarack Mine is one of the most successful mining operations in the Klondike.
3. Tony Beets Gold Rush Claims
Beets has come a long way since he immigrated from the Netherlands. As a gold miner, Beets has had a successful career. Beets also owns and leases out the Scribner Creek Claim, featured on the show Gold Rush. He leased the claim to Parker Schnabel’s mining company in Gold Rush season 4.
4. Tony Beets’ Debut On Gold Rush
Tony Beets debuted on Gold Rush in Season 2, in 2010. During his introduction, Beets acted as an advisor to the other cast members on how to locate gold. He suggested to Todd Hoffman that drilling test holes were the key to successful mining. Many other mining families turn to Beets for guidance due to his years of experience and success as a gold miner.
5. Tony Beets’ Preferred Gold Mining Method
Beets believes that dredging, a classic method of gold mining, is the future. In Season 5 of Gold Rush, Beets attempted to move a 75-year-old Dredge from Clear Creek to his claim on the Indian River, more than 150 miles away. He purchased a second floating industrial Dredge for $1 million.
6. Tony Beets’ Controversies
Tony Beets is strong-willed and dedicated to his career as a gold miner. While his personality has helped him become successful, he can also be challenging to work with. Many leave because they find Beets difficult to work with. Additionally, in one episode of Gold Rush, one of Beets’ dredge ponds was set alight with gasoline. One of his employees had to pay a fine of $1,725. Beets received a combined list of fines of $31,000. A former producer of the show, Christo Doyle, also complained about Beets’ attitude to work with them. While there’s no doubt he’s a professional miner, Beets can sometimes be unavailable for filming when needed.
7. Tony Beets Is A Natural Fan Favorite
Tony Beets is one of the most beloved Gold Rush cast members. Despite his sometimes gruff personality and his frequent use of expletives, most of the cast and crew respect Beets. He’s been in the business for many years and has great wisdom. He has also been and continues to be prosperous. He is a skilled gold miner and an astute businessman. Fans of Gold Rush adore watching Beets.
8. Tony Beets Has A Hilarious Nickname
In his native Netherlands, Tony Beets is known as “Tony Peep” – a play on the fact that Tony is often censored on Gold Rush. His language can be quite saucy, and the show’s producers and editors often have to censor much of what he says. Beets is strong-willed and can sometimes come off as rude and disrespectful.
9. Tony Beets’ Family
Tony and his wife, Minnie, have been together for over thirty years. They began dating in their twenties and married a few years later. They have four children, Monica, Bianca, Mike, and Kevin. The couple also had a daughter, Jasmine, who passed away in 1992 when she was only two months old. During the season, Minnie does the books at Paradise Hill and has also worked in home health care. The Beets family resides in Arizona during the off-season.
10. Tony Beets’ Net Worth
Tony Beets and his family have a net worth of $15 million. Much of his wealth comes from gold mining. He also earns between $25,000 to $50,000 an episode on The Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush. In addition to owning several Yukon gold mines, Tony Beets and his family own a residence in Arizona.
