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Gold treasure discovery in Belgium

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2026-08-20 10:10 UTC → 2026-09-08 19:02 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Construction and renovation activities in Dendermonde, Belgium, led to the discovery of a gold treasure estimated to be worth approximately 9 million to 10.4 million euros ($10.4 million). The cache, found hidden within a chest bricked into a basement wall of a the Brouwershuis—a building owned by the social services organization CAW ~~Oost-Vlaanderen, includes~~ Oost-Vlaanderen—includes roughly ~~40 to 50~~ 49 gold ~~bars,~~ bars and approximately 4,000 ~~old coins, and~~ gold ~~nuggets.~~ coins. The discovery occurred while workers from the construction company De Brand were installing sewage pipes. An 18-year-old worker, Kobe Phillips, reported that the team initially mistook the items for one-euro coins before realizing the true scale of the ~~find. The building, known as the Brouwershuis,~~ find; in one instance, a small gold bar was reportedly ~~used by a brewer around 1900 before its current use. Recent details specify the hoard contains~~ found attached to an excavation tool. The gold, which includes British Gold Sovereigns and vintage bullion bars marked with dates from 1957 and ~~1961. The gold~~ 1961, has been moved to a high-security federal government vault in ~~Brussels for safekeeping.~~ Brussels. The East Flanders Prosecutor’s Office has initiated an investigation to establish the origin and age of the gold, ~~identify~~ exploring potential links to historical illegal activities or the ~~legal owner, and determine if~~ banking collapses of the ~~find is linked to past criminal activities.~~ 1930s Great Depression. Authorities are also working to identify the legal owner, examining whether the ~~treasure~~ hoard belongs to the heirs of the building’s former owners, such as the family of Theophilus Van Assche, who operated a brewery on the site starting in 1899. Police Chief Patrick Feys stated that investigations are primarily focused on determining if there is any criminal connection to the hoard, noting that ownership disputes are civil matters. Following the discovery, police reported receiving numerous ownership claims from individuals worldwide, including claims based on family heritage and reincarnation. Assche. Under Belgian law, a legitimate owner has five years to claim the find. If no owner is identified and no criminal connection is established, the value may be split equally between the finders and the property owner, which intends to use any share to support regional social projects.

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