Construction workers in Dendermonde, Belgium, discovered €9 million in gold hidden inside a cellar wall while renovating a building earlier this week, uncovering one of the region’s most significant treasure finds in recent memory. The hoard—consisting of gold bars and coins sealed in a chest and bricked into the basement—was found during foundation work as crews prepared to lay new sewage pipes on a property owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a local welfare charity serving the homeless and vulnerable populations in East Flanders.
An 18-year-old builder working a summer job was among the first to spot the treasure. “At first I thought they were €1 coins,” the worker, named Kobe, told Belgian broadcaster VRT. “But then we also saw a gold nugget lying there. That’s when we realised it was something bigger.” The crew immediately alerted police rather than attempting to claim the discovery for themselves, recognizing both the impossibility of concealing such a large sum and the legal implications of doing so.
The treasure comprises at least 40 gold bars and approximately 4,000 old coins, according to multiple reports citing police. The total value is estimated at around €9 million, though an exact assessment is pending further analysis. Police have moved the entire cache to a secure location and transported it for safekeeping.
The East Flanders public prosecutor has launched an investigation to determine the gold’s origin and establish legal ownership. “At present, it is not known where the gold came from, nor, from a legal perspective, to whom it belongs,” a prosecutor’s spokesperson said. Officials are examining whether the treasure may be linked to criminal activity, as that determination will affect how the hoard is ultimately distributed.
Under Belgian treasure trove law, the rightful owner has five years—approximately 1,823 days—to come forward and claim the hoard. If no legitimate owner emerges and the gold is not found to be proceeds of a crime, Belgian civil law mandates that the treasure be divided between the finder and the property’s owner. This framework means either the construction workers or CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, or both, could ultimately benefit from the discovery.
Geert Hillaert, director of CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, expressed hope that if the charity gains ownership, the funds could transform its operations. “We will create additional capacity for our target group across the whole of East Flanders,” Hillaert said, referring to the organization’s work with homeless and street-dwelling populations. He described the discovery as “a once-in-a-lifetime experience” and noted that the find represents an enormous potential resource for an organization that experiences “enormous need” on a daily basis.
Police have warned the public to stay away from the active construction site, which has already attracted curiosity seekers and would-be treasure hunters. “After the treasure was found, the whole site was turned upside down,” said Patrick Feys of the Dendermonde police zone. “We’re certain there’s nothing left to find.” The building itself is undergoing complete demolition, adding safety hazards to the already-secured area.
Sources
- VRT News — Core discovery details, quotes from CAW director Geert Hillaert and builder Kobe, police response, and investigation status
- BBC News — Composition of hoard (40+ bars, 4,000 coins), five-year Belgian law claim window, legal distribution framework, and builder quotes
- Economic Times — Confirmation of five-year claim period and Belgian legal ownership rules for unclaimed treasure
- Arkeonews — Hoard composition details and police custody confirmation
