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Near Lyon, Homeowner Digging Pool Unearths €700,000 in Gold and Keeps It

Officials dated the cache to roughly two decades and found no theft link, allowing the anonymous finder to retain it under French rules.

Overview

  • The discovery was made in Neuville-sur-Saône during a pool excavation, where five gold bars and numerous coins were found packaged in plastic.
  • The homeowner promptly reported the find to the town hall, triggering a review by the regional cultural affairs authority to assess any archaeological claim.
  • Gendarmerie checks concluded the gold dated from about 15 to 20 years ago, had been melted at a local company, and was legally acquired.
  • With no evidence of theft and no state claim reported, the finder remained the lawful holder, while the previous owner of the property is reportedly deceased.
  • The hoard is valued at about €700,000, the finder had owned the house for roughly a year, and he has chosen to remain anonymous as the origins remain unclear.