Gold worth 9 million euros found inside cellar wall: 18-year-old student digging sewage pipes stumbles upon 49 gold bars & thousands of coins in Belgium

An 18-year-old student's summer job took an unexpected turn after he and other construction workers unearthed a fortune in gold while installing sewage pipes at an old property in Belgium. The discovery included 49 numbered gold bars and thousands of coins, with an estimated value of 9 million euros (around Rs 99 crore). Found on August 11, 2026, at a former brewery in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, the treasure has now sparked a mystery over who hid it, how long it remained concealed and who is legally entitled to claim it. The discovery was reported by The Guardian, BBC News and Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.

According to a report Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, what initially appeared to be ordinary coins turned out to be part of a much larger collection of precious metal. As the workers continued their excavation, they found gold bars and coins hidden behind a bricked-up section of the cellar wall.

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Belgium gold treasure discovery: How workers found 50 gold bars

The discovery took place during renovation work at a former brewery building in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde. Workers were removing part of the property's foundation to install new sewage pipes when they came across the concealed collection.

The gold was reportedly packed inside a bag and hidden behind a bricked-up cellar wall beneath a villa known as the Brouwershuis.

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The 18-year-old student, identified only as Kobe, was working at the site during his summer break. The construction team initially spotted coins before realising that the hidden collection included a substantial quantity of gold bullion.

Reports have put the number of numbered gold bars at 49, alongside thousands of gold coins. The estimated value of the entire collection is around 9 million euros.

Who owned the gold bars found inside Belgium building?

The history of the property has added another dimension to the mystery. The villa, known as the Brouwershuis, was originally built in the late 19th century for Theophilus Van Assche, who belonged to a wealthy local brewing family.

Brewing operations at the site began in 1899 and continued until 1970. The property subsequently changed hands and is now owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a social welfare organisation that is renovating the listed building to accommodate offices and housing.

Local historian and former Dendermonde mayor Piet Buyse has suggested that the gold could have belonged to the Van Assche family, given its historical association with the property. However, there is no confirmed evidence establishing who hid the treasure or when it was concealed.

Belgium gold treasure worth 9 million euros: Who can claim it?

After discovering the gold, the construction workers informed the property owner and contacted the police. The collection was subsequently transferred to a secure government facility in Brussels, where it remains while authorities investigate its origins.

Investigators are examining whether the gold could have been stolen or linked to criminal activity. The East Flanders public prosecutor's office has indicated that establishing the collection's provenance will be important before its legal ownership can be determined.

There are several possible claimants:

1. Van Assche family descendants: They could claim the treasure if they establish that it belonged to their ancestors.
2. Current property owner: CAW Oost-Vlaanderen could potentially have a claim based on its ownership of the building.
3. Construction workers: The people who discovered the gold could also have a claim under Belgian treasure laws.

According to reports by Brussels Signal and German broadcaster ARD's Tagesschau, Belgian law provides a five-year period for potential owners to establish their claims. If nobody establishes rightful ownership by 2031, the treasure could be divided between the finder and the property owner.

18-year-old student who discovered Belgium's hidden gold could receive a share

For Kobe, the discovery has turned an ordinary summer job into an extraordinary experience. The teenager and his colleagues handed over the collection rather than attempting to keep it, allowing authorities to investigate its origins and ownership.

The discovery has also attracted attention from people claiming connections to the property's history. According to Tagesschau, police received messages from individuals in different parts of the world, including people suggesting that their relatives had once worked in the area. Some have also claimed links to the Van Assche family.

Authorities now face the task of verifying these claims through historical records, family documents and property ownership records.

Reports suggest that the young student's chances of receiving a share of the fortune remain uncertain. The gold will remain secured in Brussels until investigators establish its origins and determine its legal ownership. If no rightful owner comes forward within the prescribed period, the 18-year-old who discovered the treasure during the sewage project could eventually become entitled to a share of the estimated 9-million-euro fortune.


Inputs from TOI