Construction workers in Belgium have struck actual gold — uncovering roughly €9 million (NZ$17.6 million) worth of gold bars and coins hidden in a chest bricked into a cellar wall during renovation work this week.
Police in the East Flanders town of Dendermonde are now urging treasure hunters to stay away from the site, after news of the find drew dozens of curious visitors and would-be gold-seekers.
Workers from construction firm De Brand stumbled on the stash on Tuesday while doing groundworks to lay a sewer pipe at a building being renovated for local social services charity CAW Oost-Vlaanderen (CAW East Flanders). They immediately alerted their client and police.
"The gold consists of numbered gold ingots and old gold coins, hidden in a chest in the cellar," said Geert Hillaert of CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, who saw the find himself.
"Surprise and amazement were the first reactions," he said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
One worker, an 18-year-old named Kobe, told Belgian broadcaster VRT the crew's first reaction was "disbelief, amazement."
"We stumbled across it while carrying out groundwork to lay a pipe for the sewerage system. We certainly hadn't expected to find gold."
Police published photos on Facebook showing around 50 gold bars and piles of coins, some of which workers had gathered into a bucket before officers arrived.
The gold has since been seized and moved to a secure government vault while the East Flanders Public Prosecutor's Office investigates.
A Facebook post by the police department added: "Apparently, several treasure hunters would like to pay another visit to the site. A golden piece of advice: it is truly pointless."
It was not clear who was considered the legal owner of the trove and if anyone would get to keep it. No doubt the builders are hoping for a "finders-keepers" arrangement if no owner comes forward.
The police post concluded: "Let us hope that this treasure ends up in the right hands."
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