Belgian Builders Discover €9 Million Gold Hoard

Builders renovating a property in Dendermonde, in Belgium’s East Flanders region, have discovered a cache of gold bars and coins reportedly worth about €9m (£7.6m). The hoard was found earlier in the week when workers drilled through the cellar walls while preparing to install new sewage pipes and working on the building’s foundations. One of the workers, 18-year-old student Kobe, initially thought the objects were €1 coins, but the discovery of a gold nugget made clear that the find was far more valuable. The workers immediately alerted police, saying they could not legally or practically keep the treasure. Authorities removed the gold to a secure location and warned members of the public not to visit the active construction site looking for additional valuables. The property is owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a charity providing welfare support in Dendermonde. Its director, Geert Hillaert, said he hoped the money might eventually support the organization’s work, which faces substantial daily demand. However, the legal ownership of the hoard remains unresolved. A local prosecutor has opened an investigation, and the rightful owner has five years to claim the treasure under Belgian law. If no owner comes forward, civil law may divide the hidden treasure between the person who found it and the property owner, provided it is not connected to criminal activity. This could give the builders and the charity a claim, although they may have to wait up to 1,823 days before the ownership question is settled. Police said they hoped the discovery would end up in the “right place” and improve people’s lives.

Construction workers in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, Belgium, discovered gold valued at approximately $10.4 million while excavating beneath a former brewery to install a new sewer. The workers reportedly had to remove part of the building’s foundation before seeing what appeared to be coins and bars. An 18-year-old worker, identified as Kobe, initially believed the objects were one-euro coins, while project leader Mario described the discovery as an extraordinary and surreal moment. After realizing they had found genuine gold, the workers notified their supervisor and contacted police rather than attempting to keep it. Local police cataloged the coins and bars and transferred them to a high-security federal government vault. Under Belgian law, the rightful owner may claim the treasure within five years, although the article does not identify who originally owned it or explain how the gold came to be beneath the former brewery. The construction workers are not entitled to keep the discovery, and Mario acknowledged that retaining it would constitute theft. Kobe said he hoped the workers might receive a finder’s fee. The building is owned by an organization that provides welfare support to the Flemish community. Its director expressed hope that, if the organization ultimately receives the gold, it could be used to address the substantial needs faced by people in the community. Police also warned members of the public and treasure hunters not to visit the site because it remains a fenced construction area containing dangerous pits. Officials emphasized that the gold had already been removed and expressed hope that the unexpected discovery would benefit the appropriate parties and improve many lives.

Construction workers renovating a building in Dendermonde, in Belgium’s East Flanders region, discovered a substantial stash of gold on Aug 11. The find reportedly consisted of about 50 gold bars and a large quantity of coins, with Belgian news outlets estimating its value at approximately €9 million, or more than US$10 million. The gold was found bricked into the walls of the cellar of a house belonging to CAW East-Flanders, a local charity. The workers alerted police after uncovering the treasure while carrying out groundwork to install a sewer pipe. One worker, identified only as Kobe by Belgian broadcaster VRT, said the crew’s initial reaction was disbelief and amazement because they had not expected to find anything valuable. Police photographed the haul and said it was inventoried before being transferred to a high-security vault operated by federal government services. Authorities have warned treasure hunters not to visit the fenced-off construction site. Police said several people had apparently expressed interest in returning to search for more valuables, prompting the department to post a humorous warning on Facebook and change its profile picture to a gold coin. The message said that visiting the site would be pointless and offered “a golden piece of advice” to stay away. It remains unclear who legally owns the gold or whether any person or organization will ultimately be allowed to keep it. Police expressed hope that the treasure would “end up in the right hands.” The discovery was reported by AFP, citing Belgian police and local media.