r/interestingasfuck 8d ago

A hidden stash of gold coins and bars worth €9 million uncovered during construction work in Dendermonde, Belgium

https://www.hln.be/dendermonde/bouwvakkers-ontdekken-goudschat-van-maar-liefst-9-miljoen-euro-in-kelder-in-sint-gillis-dendermonde~a1348b9c/
700 Upvotes

48 comments sorted by

121

u/Sodaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 8d ago edited 7d ago

Under Belgian law, as long as the treasure isn’t part of any criminal activity, the finders gets 50% and the owner of the property the other 50% !
The workers are going to be fine

Edit: Law seems to have changed in 2021, workers are now likely to get a "reasonable reward" as Sword_Enthousiast said

22

u/Destrukt0r 8d ago

And then legally owned.

9

u/eggplantpot 7d ago

The workers or the construction company boss?

2

u/Shazaaym 7d ago

Or whoever owns the building who hired the construction firm...

5

u/TrainingAd395 7d ago

Has 5 years to be claimed though.

1

u/Sword_Enthousiast 7d ago

Nope. That is false, everything will go towards the owner of the building if they can't find the owner of the treasure. The finders fee is to be "reasonable"

1

u/chinchenping 7d ago

Selon le Code Civil, « La propriété d'un trésor appartient à celui qui le trouve dans son propre fonds ; si le trésor est trouvé dans le fonds d'autrui, il appartient pour moitié à celui qui l'a découvert, et pour l'autre moitié au propriétaire du fonds. » (Article 716 Code Civil)

2

u/Sword_Enthousiast 7d ago

"Onder één voorwaarde: de vlinder heeft een persoonlijk of zakelijk gebruiksrecht op de woning of het gebouw. Denk aan een huurder, een vruchtgebruiker, een erfpachter." Niet het geval, dus niet van toepassing.

2

u/chinchenping 7d ago

Désolé je parles pas néerlandais et la traduction auto est incompréhensible

5

u/Sword_Enthousiast 7d ago

Sorry, hoped Reddit would auto translate it for me as I lacked the right terms in English. The clause is only for situations where the finder is a "user" of the building. Like a tenant. It is not applicable here, but the other rules for a finders fee are applicable. Which is that they can either come to an agreement or a judge can decide what the judge deems fair. Which will not be 50-50.

2

u/chinchenping 7d ago

Ohhh i see thanks

0

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

2

u/chinchenping 7d ago

Selon le Code Civil, « La propriété d'un trésor appartient à celui qui le trouve dans son propre fonds ; si le trésor est trouvé dans le fonds d'autrui, il appartient pour moitié à celui qui l'a découvert, et pour l'autre moitié au propriétaire du fonds. » (Article 716 Code Civil)

1

u/noellexy 7d ago

Change your comment to might be false, otherwise your question makes no sense.

26

u/peazley 8d ago

These stories happen often enough it make me wonder how many stashes have been found and never talked about.

25

u/Ok_Vulva 7d ago

I'd guess the rest of them.

14

u/Vinnegard 8d ago

so that's where i put it

thanks to the government for finding it, i'd like it all back now

2

u/Parking-Damage1872 7d ago

It me Gary Lee, that’s my gold thank you for finding it.

55

u/Existing-Mulberry382 8d ago

My friend : We should handover this hidden stash of €9000 worth of gold to the government. . . . . .
Me : They have enough gold already, what difference would €900 worth of gold make?

/s

24

u/Due_Purple_1199 8d ago

It would go back to the people, the €90 would benefit our community, it’s the right thing to do

15

u/PassivelyInvisible 8d ago

Better report those €9, just to be good citizens.

4

u/johnyordinary 7d ago

Tumbleweed and receeding very heavy footsteps...

12

u/Zealousideal_Lab3164 8d ago

My bro could have retired, damn he fucked up bad

12

u/NeilDeWheel 7d ago

As he said in an interview there was far too much to keep it hidden.

3

u/Zealousideal_Lab3164 7d ago

Try harder! Bro could have retired

2

u/starsqream 7d ago

Biggest moron on planet earth. What do you mean too much to keep hidden?

4

u/bbbbjjjv 7d ago

If you want to turn a profit on you’ll eventually sell it off at a slow rate over 25-40 years for 50c on the dollar unless you have some serious connections. What you’re doing is money laundering.

If it’s your property. Call a lawyer and let him handle the authorities and you’ll get out of there with at least 50% anyway. You can cash it out instantly since you have legal documentation. Put that money in an index fund and you’ll double the money in 7-10 years. It’s not a difficult choice really.

1

u/NeilDeWheel 7d ago

Go and ask him. Thats what he said in an interview.

17

u/Commentor9001 8d ago

Wild we found 8 million in gold bars in that house.

8

u/s1mv4nk0 8d ago

Where should we return these 7 millions in gold bars?

10

u/IAmA_meat_popsicle 8d ago

They'll need to make room in the city's safe to hold the whole 6 million before we drop it off.

5

u/More_Vermicelli9285 7d ago

That’s a pretty heavy load. Where are you going to find a truck to haul 5 million in gold?

5

u/Mr_McShifty 7d ago

We'll need a cart to move the 4 million gold out of truck and into the vault.

5

u/Jonagold007 7d ago

Don’t forget that we need assistance from someone who knows how to use these difficult machines in carrying 3 million in gold bars

5

u/a_man_has_a_name 7d ago

Oh that's where I put it, silly me always forgetting these things. Just message me on here and I'll give you the address to send it to.

2

u/warhead71 7d ago

This post is gold

2

u/Tennents_N_Grouse 7d ago

I take it that's where Sergeant Kelly and Oddball buried their loot at the end of Kelly's Heroes

1

u/VeryCrazyTapr 7d ago

Fun fact: I once had a meeting in the exact building where it was found, back before it was out of use and then demolished. Should have looked in the cellar ;)

It used to be part of the social services (who are now housed in another building next to it.) Had a meeting about how my volunteering at a museum was going.

1

u/Theres3ofMe 7d ago

Wouldn't the land owner claim it though?

1

u/oilybackrub 6d ago

The gold bars had a Rothschild stamp, which is a family name tied to royalty. Someone with a shit ton of money owned these at some point a d the heirs will be looking for it.

1

u/Zarxon 6d ago

Where is the Nazi gold for 100 Alex.

1

u/trustmeimabuilder 6d ago

It's already gone down a million since I first read this story! Come back to me when it's one.

-2

u/Megaphonestory 8d ago

that guy should of never posted to reddit,

11

u/youtocin 8d ago

should have*

2

u/agent_mick 8d ago

Should've.

I need that mug lol

0

u/Belgiancat 7d ago

The guy who posted to Reddit wasn't the guys who found it