A routine renovation job in Belgium turned into a modern-day treasure hunt when builders discovered a stash of gold worth around $10.4 million sealed inside the walls of a property in East Flanders.
The construction workers were laying new sewage pipes at a building in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, about 40 minutes from Brussels, when they made the extraordinary find.
The 18-year-old student working a summer job on the site said: “Our first reaction was actually disbelief, amazement.”
“At first I thought they were €1 coins. But then we also saw a gold nugget lying there. That’s when we realised it was something bigger.”
Site manager Mario, who has worked in construction for 33 years, said: “I went to look and took the gold in my hands. We kept digging up new coins and bars as well. Only then did it really sink in what we had found. That was a crazy feeling.”
The workers then alerted the police and moved the treasure to a secure location. The owner of the property is CAW Oost-Vlaandered, a welfare organisation that offers support for the local community.
Belgian law states that the rightful owner has only five years to claim the treasure. If no one comes forward, the hoard will be divided between the finder and the property owner.
Local police have urged treasure hunters to stay away from the property site, warning there’s
“Nothing left to see” and that the building is being demolished.
2026-08-15 00:06:00
