18-Year-Old Finds ₹98 Crore Gold Treasure During Sewer Work in Belgium
An ordinary summer job turned into an extraordinary discovery for an 18-year-old Belgian student after he and a team of construction workers uncovered a hidden gold hoard while digging a sewer trench in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, Belgium.
The treasure has been estimated at around €9 million, or roughly ₹98 crore, and reportedly includes 49 gold bars and hundreds of gold coins. The discovery was made during renovation work at the site of a former brewery and villa. The gold has since been handed over to authorities while investigators try to determine where it came from and who legally owns it.
The story is unusual not only because of the size of the find, but also because the young worker initially did not realise that what he had uncovered could be worth millions.
How the €9 Million Gold Treasure Was Found
The discovery happened during construction work involving a new sewer system at a former brewery site in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, near Brussels.
The property has a long history. A villa on the site was built in the late 19th century for brewery owner Theophilus Van Assche, and the brewery reportedly continued operating until 1970. The site is now being redeveloped by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a welfare organisation involved in social support and housing-related work.
During excavation, a drill struck something unexpected beneath an old cellar.
The workers initially thought they had encountered ordinary coins. It was only after examining the objects that they realised they were looking at gold.
The 18-year-old student, identified in reports as Kobe, was among the workers who first encountered the treasure. The discovery reportedly consisted of gold bars, coins and other gold pieces hidden within the old structure.
What Was Inside the Hidden Treasure?
According to reports, the hoard contained 49 gold bars along with hundreds of gold coins.
Its estimated value is around €9 million, equivalent to approximately ₹98 crore depending on the exchange rate used. Some reports have valued the discovery at about $10.4 million.
The sheer quantity of gold makes the discovery remarkable.
For comparison, the value is large enough to put the treasure in the same financial territory as a substantial corporate transaction or property portfolio. Yet the workers found it hidden beneath an old building while carrying out routine infrastructure work.
The exact final market value could also change because gold prices fluctuate. The reported estimate should therefore be understood as an approximate valuation rather than a fixed cash amount.
Why Was the Gold Hidden There?
That remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.
The treasure was reportedly hidden in or around the cellar of the former brewery owner's villa. The property's history has led investigators and local observers to consider whether the stash could be connected to the Van Assche brewing family.
However, the origin of the gold has not been conclusively established.
Authorities are investigating whether the treasure could have been accumulated by the former owners, hidden during a period of uncertainty or potentially connected to another source. Investigators also need to establish whether any of the gold was stolen or involved in criminal activity.
That uncertainty is important. Finding valuable property does not automatically mean the person who discovers it becomes its owner.
What Happens to the ₹98 Crore Treasure Now?
The workers did not simply take the gold home.
After the discovery, police were contacted and the treasure was secured. Reports say the gold was moved to a high-security government facility in Brussels while authorities investigate the matter.
The legal ownership question could become complicated.
Potential claims could involve descendants of the former property owners, the current property owner, the construction company or the people who physically discovered the gold.
Reports citing Belgian rules say that a lawful owner can have five years to make a claim. If no valid owner comes forward, the legal framework may allow the finder and property owner to share the treasure under certain conditions.
That means the 18-year-old and his colleagues may eventually receive a reward or a legal share, but there is currently no confirmation that they will personally receive ₹98 crore.
The Gold Discovery Has Created Another Problem
The discovery has already attracted attention beyond the construction site.
Reports say people have been showing interest in the location after learning about the hidden gold. Police have warned members of the public not to enter the area because the property is under construction and demolition work, creating potential safety risks.
Authorities have also made clear that the treasure has already been removed.
In other words, anyone arriving at the site hoping to find another fortune is unlikely to find anything—and could put themselves in danger.
Why the Story Matters Beyond the Treasure
At first glance, this is simply a remarkable human-interest story. But it also highlights an interesting connection between infrastructure work, property history and wealth preservation.
Old buildings can contain clues about previous owners and historical events that disappear from modern records. In this case, a former brewery property became the setting for a discovery worth millions of euros.
The story also demonstrates why historical properties can sometimes carry unexpected value beyond their visible buildings and land.
For CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, the discovery is particularly unusual because the organisation is involved in helping people facing social and housing difficulties. The organisation has publicly described its broader work as providing support, advice, housing assistance and other welfare services across East Flanders.
There is therefore an unusual possibility that a historic gold hoard could eventually benefit a social organisation—although the legal ownership process must be completed first.
Will the 18-Year-Old Become a Millionaire?
That remains uncertain.
Kobe and the other workers have reportedly expressed hope that they could receive some form of reward for reporting the discovery. But until investigators establish the treasure's origin and legal ownership, it would be premature to say that the young worker has personally become a millionaire.
This distinction is important because headlines about a ₹98 crore treasure found by an 18-year-old can easily create the impression that the entire amount belongs to him.
It does not.
The reported €9 million is the estimated value of the entire hoard, not the personal wealth of the student who discovered it.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus is likely to remain on three questions:
Who originally owned the gold?
Why was it hidden inside the property?
Who is legally entitled to the treasure?
Investigators will also need to determine whether the gold has any connection to criminal activity or whether it was simply a private fortune that remained hidden for decades.
Until those questions are resolved, the treasure will remain under official protection.
Conclusion
An 18-year-old Belgian student unexpectedly became part of one of the country's most extraordinary recent treasure discoveries after workers uncovered an estimated €9 million (around ₹98 crore) gold hoard during sewer excavation in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde.
The find reportedly includes 49 gold bars and hundreds of gold coins, but the discovery does not mean the student has suddenly received ₹98 crore. Authorities are still investigating the origin and ownership of the gold, and any potential reward or legal claim will depend on the outcome of that process.
For now, the biggest mystery is not how much the gold is worth—it is why someone hid millions of euros in gold inside an old Belgian property and left it undiscovered for so long.
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