A plumber in Vienna, Austria, made an incredible discovery while working in a cellar. He found a hidden metal box filled with gold treasure in the form of coins. The coins are worth an estimated $2.4 million.
The discovery started when the man noticed a strange rope protruding from the basement floor of a villa under renovation in Vienna’s Penzing area.
The plumber, whose identity remains unknown, noticed the rope but couldn’t pull it free. Determined to investigate, he used a shovel to dig into the concrete around it.
As he chipped away, he found a rusty metal box, and when he managed to open it, he found about 66 pounds (30 kilograms) of gold coins inside. The coins were adorned with images of Mozart, Austria’s legendary composer.
Plumber to possibly get $1.3 million
The day before the discovery, another builder noticed the rope but chose to ignore it, unknowingly missing out on the chance to get his share of the treasure. Other workers in the basement also overlooked the hidden fortune and left with nothing.
However, the curious plumber’s persistence paid off. He is now set to receive a significant reward for his find.
Finding a 2 million euro treasure in an old Austrian villa is great, but I can't help but wonder if anyone has looked into the family that lived there who hid it just before WW2 and then never returned to collect it…https://t.co/5mUC68F4w7 pic.twitter.com/wwmDeUDspW
— Fake History Hunter (@fakehistoryhunt) November 17, 2024
In Austria, treasures like this are split evenly between the finder and the property owner. This means the plumber could walk away with an impressive $1.3 million.
Speaking to an Austrian publication, the plumber described the discovery as extraordinary.
“Something like this is really unbelievable. From time to time you might find a few coins, but such a discovery is fantastic,” he said.
Experts believe the coins were buried during the Second World War. At the time, many wealthy Europeans hid their valuables, such as the gold treasure the plumber found, to protect them from being stolen or lost during the chaos.
Other recently uncovered treasures around the world
The plumber may be Austria’s luckiest man, but stories of unexpected treasures have surfaced in other parts of the world, as well.
For instance, archaeologists from the University of Michigan recently uncovered a trove of Persian gold coins in the ancient Greek city of Notion, located on the western coast of modern-day Turkey.
The coins were hidden within a small ceramic pot and discovered in a large courtyard house at the heart of the ancient city.
In September 2024, archaeologists uncovered a remarkable Viking treasure buried for over one thousand years. The hoard included four silver bracelets, each adorned with unique and intricate designs.
Experts believe the artifacts were hidden beneath the floor of an old home, possibly once inhabited by Viking slaves. The house, remarkably well-preserved, was part of a larger Viking farm. Alongside the bracelets, researchers recovered additional artifacts, offering valuable insights into Viking life and culture.
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