Renovation work at a property in East Flanders, Belgium, led to the discovery of a hidden fortune estimated to be worth around €9 million.
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While restoring sewer pipes and demolishing walls in the basement, construction workers found gold bars and coins hidden in the building’s foundations.
The discovery has now raised the issue of ownership. If the rightful owner does not come forward, the treasure could be claimed by both the contractors who found it and the local charity that owns the property.
A student identified as Kobe told Belgian public broadcaster VRT that the workers’ initial reaction was one of disbelief and surprise.
“At first, I thought they were €1 coins. But then we noticed a piece of gold. At that moment, we realized that this was something much bigger,” he said.
The student and the site manager decided not to keep the discovery secret and notified the police.
The building is currently owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, an organization that provides social support in Dedmonton, a Flemish community with around 47,000 residents.
The organization’s director, Gert Hillaert, described his initial reaction as “astonishment,” while expressing hope that the gold would be used to support the charity’s work and address “the great need we experience every day.”
Police posted a photograph of a gold coin on their Facebook profile, saying they hoped the treasure would end up in the “right place.” At the same time, they informed potential gold hunters that the fortune had been moved to a secure location.
Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to claim the treasure. However, the local prosecutor, who has opened an investigation, said it is not yet known who that person might be.
If no one comes forward within that period, civil law stipulates that treasure hidden on someone else’s property must be divided between the finder and the property owner, provided it is found to have no connection to criminal activity.
The construction workers and the charity must wait up to 1,823 days to see whether the rightful owner comes forward.
