Man digging yard to make swimming pool stumbled upon plastic bags. When he opened them, he found treasure worth $80,000
With many stories surfacing of people finding treasures in newly bought homes, it must be a desire among many homeowners. In general, finding a treasure is something many of us might be open to. A man residing in Neuville-sur-Saône, near Lyon, was fortunate enough to turn this wish into a reality, Le Progrès reported. The man, who has not revealed his identity, displayed noteworthy integrity after stumbling upon a fortune. With just a simple hope of turning his yard into a swimming pool, he never knew he’d end up making a precious find. After going through an unpredictable series of events, he can call the happening a life-changing one.
The homeowner had reportedly bought the house a year ago and finally decided it was time to dig up a pool. According to VICE, the man was digging when he hit something hard and knew it wasn’t some ordinary dirt. When he inspected further, he discovered five gold bars and numerous gold coins. They were wrapped neatly in plastic bags and had a whopping value of €700,000 (over $80,000). While most people would be keen on keeping it to themselves, this man had a humane approach to the situation. The 19th-century civil code of France stated that anything found on a person’s property that is hidden or unclaimed and is found by the owner can be considered as good as theirs.
"Ownership of a treasure belongs to the one who finds it on their own property," CBS News explained. However, this gentleman knew better and wanted to make sure no one was looking for the fortune or that it wasn't of historical importance or government significance. He contacted the authorities to report his findings. In turn, the state was informed and the DRAC (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs) conducted its investigation to determine whether the treasure was ancient, of archeological importance, or popular in general. They learned that the treasure was hidden no more than fifteen or twenty years ago and ruled out the idea that they might be of historical importance. Furthermore, records showed that the gold was not illegally obtained and buried but instead had been melted down at a company in the Lyon metropolitan area.
The person who kept the gold there likely had their own reasons but since they could no longer identify or learn who it was, it meant good news to the current owner. The previous person who purchased the house had passed away and so the mystery of how the gold happened to be there remained a secret. The good this gentleman did came back to him and he was allowed to take possession of $80,000 worth of gold. The owner wishes to stay anonymous and has not determined what he will do with the gold. However, his integrity in reporting the findings and not being selfish are sure to be commended. He is grateful to stumble upon the unbelievable discovery and noted that buying this house was definitely one of the best decisions of his life.
