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Gold treasure discovery in Belgium

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2026-08-15 10:05 UTC → 2026-08-16 02:02 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 ~~euros.~~ euros ($10.4 million). The cache, found hidden within a chest ~~inside~~ bricked into a basement wall of a building owned by the social services organization CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, includes ~~more than 40~~ roughly 49 to 50 gold bars, ~~roughly~~ approximately 4,000 old coins, and gold nuggets. The discovery occurred while workers from the construction company De Brand were installing sewage pipes. An 18-year-old worker, identified as Kobe, reported that the team initially mistook the items for one-euro coins before realizing the true scale of the find. The building was reportedly used by a brewer around 1900 before its current use. The East Flanders Prosecutor’s Office has initiated an investigation to establish the origin and age of the gold, identify the legal owner, and determine if the find is linked to past criminal activities. Authorities are specifically examining whether the treasure belongs to the heirs of the building’s former owners, such as the family of the original brewery owner, Theophilus Van Assche, who operated on the site starting in 1899. Recent details specify the hoard contains ~~roughly 49 numbered gold bars and includes~~ British Gold ~~Sovereigns. New information indicates the treasure includes~~ Sovereigns and vintage bullion bars marked with dates from 1957 and 1961. The gold has been moved to a high-security federal government vault in Brussels for safekeeping. Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to claim the property. If no owner is found and no criminal links are established, the assets may eventually be shared between the finders and the property owner. If ownership is granted to CAW, the organization plans to use the funds to finance housing and services for homeless individuals in the region.

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