A pair of hikers made the discovery of a lifetime when they stumbled upon two containers with gold coins and other contents worth a massive $340,000.
On Wednesday, the Museum of Eastern Bohemia in the Czech Republic city of Hradec Králové announced it was in possession of over 100-year-old treasure. Two hikers who were just out for a day in the Podkrkonosí Mountains made the discovery.
In February, when the two hikers were exploring the foothills, they came across two metal boxes. The first metal box contained 600 gold coins from around Europe, wrapped in thin fabric in 11 different stacks.
The newest of the coins was dated 1921, leading experts to conclude the coins were buried in the years after the last mint.
The second box, which was located nearby, contained 10 bracelets, 16 cigarette cases, a compact, a comb, and a chain.
According to the Museum of Eastern Bohemia coin expert, Vojtěch Brádle, while some of the coins were known to the Czech Republic at the time, others may have been from the Balkans.
“The treasure was hidden in the ground for over a hundred years. What is certain is that in 1921, at least part of these coins couldn’t have been on our territory. They must have still been in the Balkans at that time.” – Vojtěch Brádle
The coins can be traced back to countries across Europe, according to Popular Science. Some include:
France
Belgium
Ottoman Empire
Former Austria-Hungary
What is missing from the group that surprised experts in the museum was any coins from the Czech countries or Germany.
While the coins are known to be gold, experts will run more tests to analyze the metal from which the rest of the discovery was made. If it is gold, the entire amount of the find could be much more than the current estimate of $340,000.
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Why Experts Believe The Coins Were Buried
Over a century ago, it was common practice to bury items of value in the ground to return to when it was safe to claim them. But with so much turmoil occurring at the time when the items were made and minted and in the years after, it is not clear at this time just what caused the owner of the fortune to bury their valuables.
Some theories have been tossed around about why the coins, cigarette boxes, bracelets, and more were buried. Many theories revolve around the rise and fall of the Nazis, who came to the region in the 1930s.
One of the most prominent theories is that after the Munich Agreement was signed, German and Czech people alike fled the region to escape persecution. Not wanting to travel with their valuables, as they would have been confiscated if the people were caught, the gold was instead buried.
Another theory, according to Petr Grulich, the Museum of Eastern Bohemia’s director, is that Nazi soldiers had stolen the gold from individuals during World War II. After the Nazis were forced to retreat, they buried the treasure in hopes of being able to come back and retrieve it.
“It is difficult to say whether this is the gold of a Czech who had to leave the occupied territory after the Nazi invasion of 1938 [or] the gold of a German who feared displacement after 1945. It could also be stolen goods from an antique shop, but we are not inclined to this option.” – Petr Grulich
Other theories abound, but all come back to the fact that someone wanted to hide their treasure so that one day, either themselves or relatives could retrieve it.
Until the items are further analyzed, only assumptions can be drawn from the containers’ contents. Even then, the owner of the coins and personal effects may never be known.
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The Hikers Who Found The Coins Will Not Walk Away Empty-Handed
While the hikers could have easily kept the gold coins and personal items for themselves, they did the right thing by turning over their find to the authorities. The best part is that the hikers will not walk away empty-handed. This is because, per Czech law, the hikers are entitled to a reward.
Per Czech law, when rare items are found within the country, those who find them are entitled to a reward of 10% of the item’s value. In this case, it means that the duo will receive $34,000 for a day of hiking. Whether that sum is per person or if it will have to be split was not disclosed.
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However, given that the hikers were just headed out for a day in the mountains with no intention of locating valuable, century-old goods, the payday is an unexpected benefit for enjoying some time in the great outdoors. Whether this will entice more people to hike through the Podkrkonosí Mountains in search of treasure remains to be seen.