An 18-year-old construction worker in Belgium was working at a renovation site when he discovered a gold coin. At first, he thought it was just a single coin. But as he broke through the wall, he uncovered something he could never have imagined, even in his wildest dreams.
According to a report by the BBC, Builders renovating a house in Belgium have discovered a stash of gold reportedly worth €9m (95,45,05,000) sealed into the walls of its cellar.
How did the worker find gold stash?
The workers made the astonishing discovery while drilling through the foundations to install new sewage pipes. Among those at the site was 18-year-old Kobe, who was working a summer job. At first, Kobe thought they had simply found some ordinary coins. “At first I thought they were €1 coins.” But then he spotted something that changed everything: a gold nugget.
“That’s when we realised it was something bigger,” he told Belgian broadcaster VRT.
(Gold stash discovered by the construction worker | CREDIT: Lokale Politie Dendermonde)
The workers soon discovered that the wall concealed a much larger hoard of gold coins and bars. Rather than attempting to take the treasure, they immediately contacted police.
Site manager says hiding discovery is not a safe option
Site manager Mario said keeping the gold was never really an option. “There are so many coins and bars, it would be almost impossible,” he told VRT, adding that taking them would amount to theft. Kobe agreed. With the estimated value reaching €9 million, he said, “you simply can’t keep that hidden.”
Police urge public to stay away from construction site
Police subsequently launched an investigation and moved the gold to a secure location. Authorities also warned members of the public not to visit the construction site searching for additional treasure.
The house is currently owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a charity providing welfare support in Dendermonde. Its director, Geert Hillaert, said the organisation was stunned by the discovery and hoped that, if the charity ultimately receives the treasure, it could help fund its work.
Biggest mystery remains: Who does the gold actually belong to?
Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to come forward and claim hidden treasure. Authorities have not yet determined who originally owned the hoard.
If nobody successfully claims it, Belgian civil law could allow the treasure to be divided between the person who found it and the owner of the property, provided investigators establish that it is not connected to criminal activity.
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For now, the workers and the charity can only wait. And they could potentially be waiting for up to 1,823 days. Until then, the €9 million question remains: Who will strike gold?
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