Builders renovating a property in east Flanders, Belgium, have uncovered a hoard of gold bars and coins worth an estimated €9 million (approximately £7.6 million), according to local media. The stash was found sealed inside the cellar walls while the crew drilled to install new sewage pipes beneath the building's foundations.
Discovery During Renovation
The discovery was made earlier this week by a team that included Kobe, an 18-year-old working a summer job on the site. Speaking to Belgian public broadcaster VRT, Kobe described the initial reaction of the crew as one of disbelief and amazement.
"Our first reaction was actually disbelief, amazement," Kobe said. "At first I thought they were €1 coins. But then we also saw a gold nugget lying there. That's when we realised it was something bigger."
Site Manager Reports Find to Police
The site manager, Mario, confirmed that the crew reported the discovery to police shortly after, dismissing any thought of keeping the treasure. "There are so many coins and bars — it would be almost impossible," he told VRT. "Besides, that would be theft." Kobe agreed, stating, "€9m – you simply can't keep that hidden."
Local police, who updated their Facebook profile picture to an image of a gold coin following the discovery, confirmed that the gold has been moved to a secure location. They urged members of the public not to visit the site in search of further treasure.
Legal Claims to the Treasure
The property belongs to CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a welfare organisation that serves Dendermonde, a Flemish town of roughly 47,000 residents. The charity's director, Geert Hillaert, said he was caught off guard by the news but expressed hope that the treasure could ultimately support the organisation's work and address what he described as the "enormous need we experience daily."
A local prosecutor has opened an investigation into the matter. Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to come forward and claim the hoard. Should no one successfully do so, civil law provides that hidden treasure found on another person's property be split between the finder and the property owner, though this only applies if the gold is not connected to any criminal activity.
That gives both the construction workers and CAW Oost-Vlaanderen a potential claim, though neither will know the outcome for up to 1,823 days.
