Eight members of a construction crew working on a renovation project in Dendermonde, Belgium, made a startling find on Tuesday. Beneath the foundations of an old brewery, they uncovered a cache of gold bars and sovereign coins estimated at €9 million (about $10.5 million).
Discovery details
The workers were removing part of the building’s floor when student‑labourer Kobe Phillips noticed a line of one‑euro‑sized objects. “I thought they were one‑euro coins, neatly lined up in a row,” Phillips told Belgian broadcaster VTM. “We dug them out, and then we saw a small bar of gold lying there, already attached to our digging hammer. There was actually a bit more than we’d thought.”
Further excavation revealed roughly 40 gold bars and 4,000 gold sovereign coins. The bars, some stamped in the 1960s, and the coins, featuring various monarchs and dates, were hidden in the brewery’s foundation.
Police involvement
After the find, the crew contacted the property owner, who promptly called the Dendermonde Police District. Patrick Feys, chief of the district, confirmed that the police secured the gold in a guarded location. Images posted on the department’s Facebook page show a metal bucket filled with coins and a table covered in bars.
The East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation to determine whether any criminal activity is associated with the treasure. Feys noted that several individuals have already come forward claiming a right to the gold, presenting documents that they say prove descent from the original owners.
Historical context
The gold appears to have been hidden for decades, possibly during the turbulent years of the 1960s. While the exact origin remains unknown, the presence of sovereigns—British‑minted gold coins historically used across Europe—suggests the stash could have been a private hoard or a wartime concealment.
What comes next
Authorities will continue to assess the provenance of the gold and evaluate any legitimate claims. In the meantime, the discovery has drawn considerable public interest, highlighting the unexpected ways history can surface during everyday work.
For now, the gold remains under police custody, awaiting the outcome of the investigation.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
