A Chance Discovery in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde
A routine construction project in the Belgian town of Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde took an extraordinary turn on Tuesday when a crew excavating for a new sewage system uncovered a massive hoard of gold. The discovery, estimated to be worth approximately €9 million ($10 million), was found within the walls of a former brewery on Van Langenhovestraat, roughly 19 miles northwest of Brussels.
The 18-year-old student, identified only as Kobe, was working on the renovation of the “Brouwershuis”—a historic property formerly owned by Theophilus Van Assche—when his shovel struck something unusual. According to reports from the Belgian network VTM, the crew initially mistook the find for common coins before realizing they had uncovered a collection of gold nuggets and numbered bullion bars stashed in a bag behind a bricked-in cellar wall.
Historical Context and Legal Stakes
The site has a rich industrial history, with brewing operations beginning in 1899 and lasting until 1970. The property, which is being renovated by the social welfare organization CAW Oost-Vlaanderen to accommodate new offices and residential units, is now under strict legal scrutiny. Geert Hillaert of CAW confirmed that the building was being “completely gutted,” leaving only the original walls standing when the drainage work led to the find.
Following the discovery, the workers immediately contacted local authorities. The gold has since been relocated to a secure facility in Brussels, where an official investigation is underway to determine legal ownership. Belgian law dictates a complex process for such finds; potential owners, including descendants of the Van Assche family, have a period to stake a claim. If no owner is identified, the distribution of the assets will be determined by statutory regulations regarding treasure trove finds, which often require a five-year waiting period.
Economic Implications
While the discovery is a unique historical event, it underscores the enduring appeal of gold as a store of value. The hoard, deliberately hidden behind a brick wall rather than in a traditional safe, reflects the historical anxiety of the era. Piet Buyse, a former mayor of Dendermonde, noted that it was highly probable the Van Assche family chose to sequester their wealth in physical gold during periods of economic or political uncertainty, a strategy that remains relevant in modern financial hedging.