In brief
While installing new sewage pipes, contractors struck a wall of a cellar that concealed a treasure of gold bars and coins. Countless bars and more than a thousand coins are valued at around €9 million. The local police have taken the loot to a secure location and have opened an investigation, while the charity that owns the property and the builders may claim ownership. The case illustrates Belgium’s treasure‑law rules, where a finder may share the prize with the landowner if no other owner appears within five years. The find has already attracted attention from the public and the police, who urge people not to search for hidden wealth.
During a routine refurbishment of a charity property in east Flanders, contractors uncovered a hidden stash of gold bars and coins worth roughly €9 million.
The discovery came when workers drilling for new sewage pipes struck a wall of the cellar. The hoard included dozens of gold bars and thousands of coins, all sealed into the walls as a secret deposit.
The local charity that owns the property is CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen, which provides welfare support for the Dendermonde community. Its director said the loot might be used to fund support services if it could be legally entrusted to the charity.
Both the builders and the charity expressed a desire to claim the gold. The builders reported that they would not keep the haul illegally and handed the discovery to police, who then relocated the treasure to a secure location.
Belgian law stipulates that a finder has up to five years to claim the treasure, without which it is divided between finder and property owner, provided no criminal activity was linked to the find. Until then, the hoard has been protected by local police, who also urged the public not to seek hidden treasure sites.
An investigation led by the local prosecutor is underway, and it remains unclear whether the stash belongs to a private individual, the charity, or remains unclaimed. The case has ignited discussion about hidden treasures and the balance between property rights and ethical stewardship of valuable finds.
The police updated their social media with an image of a gold coin to remind the public that any sensational discovery should end in the "right place" for the benefit of many.
