Madelyn Cline as Sarah in Outer Banks season 3 with El Dorado's cave and gold coins behind her

While the Pogues weren’t able to keep their full fortunes throughout their past adventures, Outer Banks season 4 reveals the massive payout the teens got from their gold hunt at El Dorado. In Outer Banks season 1’s ending, the Pogues have their gold from the Royal Merchant treasure hunt stolen by Ward Cameron, with season 2’s Cross of Santo Domingo being stolen from the group by Rafe Cameron and Renfield. However, with Ward, Big John, Singh, and Singh’s men dying in Outer Banks season 3’s ending, the Pogues successfully get away with the gold from El Dorado.

The final scene of Outer Banks season 3 occurred after an 18-month time-jump, revealing that the Pogues were being recruited to help search for Blackbeard’s treasure. Outer Banks season 4 kicks off by revealing what happened to the teens over the course of those 18 months, which saw them become rich and build “Poguelandia” after exchanging the gold from El Dorado. While the sizable payout was pooled together rather than being split among Outer Banks’ main characters, it surprisingly only lasted them less than two years before the Pogues ran out of funds.

The Pogues Got $1,172,549 For The Gold They Found At El Dorado

The Pogues’ El Dorado Gold Was Still Significantly Less Than Their Previous Treasures’ Values

An Outer Bank character looking at the gold statue on his hand in season 4 trailer

In Outer Banks season 4, episode 1, John B reveals the grand total that the teens got from the bank for their gold: $1,172,549. Divided between the six Pogues, that would have come to about $195,424 each, a bit less than the $211,000 that Pope estimated. However, the Pogues decide to pool the money together instead, using it to buy back JJ’s land, build their surf shop and charter boat store, buy a charter boat, and pay for property taxes.

The million dollars worth of gold that the Pogues get from El Dorado in Outer Banks season 3 is significantly less than what was rumored to be the value of the treasures from the Royal Merchant and the Cross of Santo Domingo. According to Outer Banks season 1, it was said that the Royal Merchant shipwreck contained about $400 million in gold bars, with season 2’s Cross of Santo Domingo being valued at about $500 million. Rafe ended up melting down the cross into gold bars, but it’s unclear exactly how much money he made from exchanging it.

Why The Pogues Ran Through Their Money So Fast During Outer Banks’ 18-Month Time Jump

The Pogues Paid Way Too Much Money To Get JJ’s Land Back

JJ in Outer Banks season 4 episode 5

John B and the Pogues should realistically have been able to last quite a bit longer on their $1,172,549 from the gold. However, large spending and an auction fight led to this number dwindling very quickly. When bidding at the auction to buy back JJ’s land, he immediately ignored Pope’s suggestion to only go higher in $1 increments. Then, when getting into a bidding war with another potential buyer, JJ ended up securing the house for $775,010, which was 33% above the property’s market value. In one fell swoop, the Pogues lost approximately two-thirds of their money.

The Pogues realize that the amulet actually leads to Blackbeard’s Blue Crown, which they discover is far more valuable than the $50,000 Wes Genrette originally offered them in Outer Banks season 4. Therefore, they could end up with far more money than they got for El Dorado’s gold.

Over the next 18 months, the Pogues would lose another $20 thousand when JJ bet the last of their gold on himself in a motorcycle race. They would also have to pay for materials to build their surf shop and charter boat store, buy their boat, and purchase expensive ingredients for the food they make and grow. Therefore, when the Pogues get the offer from Outer Banks’ character Wes Genrette to find Blackbeard’s amulet for $50 grand, they have no choice but to jump at the opportunity.