Belgium: Workers discover 9 million euros worth of gold in a wall

The chest, built into the wall of a cellar, contained numbered ingots and old gold coins.

A renovation project took an unexpected turn in Saint-Gilles-lez-Termonde, Belgium. Workers discovered a vault built into the wall of a cellar. Inside were numbered gold bars and old gold coins with an estimated value of around 9 million euros.

The discovery was made on Monday, August 10, 2026, during the installation of pipes in a building belonging to a social organization in East Flanders. The work crew notified their supervisor, then the building owner, and finally the police. The treasure was secured while authorities investigate its origin.

A safe hidden in the wall of a cellar

The workers hadn't expected to stumble upon such a fortune. While working in the cellar, they spotted a safe built into the building's structure and hidden behind the masonry. Opening it revealed a significant quantity of gold, consisting of numbered ingots and old coins.

Initial estimates value the entire hoard at nearly 9 million euros. Images released after the discovery show dozens of ingots lined up on a workbench. Another photo shows a container filled with ancient coins.

The site manager immediately reported the find. This reaction is reminiscent of the story of the airport employees in Kenya who found $19,000 before returning the money to its owner.

The police seized the gold and opened an investigation.

Belgian police took possession of the treasure and transferred it to a secure location. The East Flanders public prosecutor's office then opened an investigation to understand how the gold ended up in the cellar and to determine if it is linked to past criminal activity.

At this stage, no one knows how long the safe had been hidden. The identity of its owner also remains unknown. Investigators will have to examine the numbers inscribed on the gold bars, trace their movement, and search for any potential heirs or beneficiaries.

This phase could take some time. As long as the origin of the gold is not established, neither the building owner nor the workers can dispose of it. The treasure therefore remains under the control of the authorities.

Will the workers be entitled to a reward?

The question of rewarding the workers is still unresolved. Under Belgian law, the person who discovers a valuable object does not automatically become its owner. The decision depends in particular on the location of the discovery, the identity of the rightful owner, and the circumstances in which the object was hidden.

If no link to a crime is established and no owner comes forward, a procedure will have to determine who the gold belongs to. The current owner of the building could be involved, but the workers also hope to know if they can receive a share or a bonus for their discovery.

The building belongs to an organization that supports homeless people in East Flanders. Its director indicated that, if the gold legally belonged to them, the money could be used to increase the association's accommodation capacity.

A rare discovery that fascinates Belgium

The case has generated considerable interest in Belgium, both because of the sum of money involved and the mystery surrounding the safe. The ingots, coins, and their hiding place have given this otherwise ordinary construction site the air of a treasure hunt.

Gold discoveries often fuel speculation about their origin. In March 2026, AfrikMag reported on a case involving gold bars and drug trafficking in Dakar's upscale neighborhoods. In the Belgian case, no criminal origin has been confirmed so far.

The workers have resumed their work, but the investigation could last several months, or even longer. The police will have to answer two key questions: who hid the gold in the wall, and who owns this treasure, estimated at 9 million euros?