A clever shopper who purchased an old safe for £12.99 found himself nearly £30,000 wealthier when he inspected its contents. The man decided to acquire the second-hand safe after spotting it online. Upon examining the safe at home, he uncovered a 250-gram gold bar hidden in a secret compartment, much to his surprise. Living in the quaint town of Trostberg in Bavaria, he never anticipated such a valuable discovery.
Given the current gold prices, the bar is estimated to be valued at around £28,500. Authorities speculate that the bar was likely left inside the safe accidentally. Concerned about the legal implications, the man reached out to the police for guidance on the matter. Trostberg police spokesperson Nicolai Weiss informed a German newspaper Bild that the buyer sought clarification to ensure compliance with the law.
Reportedly, the safe’s seller indicated that he listed the safe on behalf of his 90-year-old grandfather, who presumably forgot about the gold bar. Consequently, it is now the responsibility of the buyer and seller to determine the bar’s ownership. Weiss emphasized the need for the parties to reach a mutual agreement or seek legal resolution with the assistance of a solicitor.
Notably, this remarkable discovery is not the only one in the region. In 2016, a teenage girl discovered a gold bar while swimming in Koenigssee lake, sparking rumors of hidden Nazi treasures in the area. German officials clarified that the bar was from a different era and conducted a search for additional gold without success.
The gold bar, marked with a foundry name but with a scratched-off serial number, is hoped to be reunited with its rightful owner using modern technology. In a separate incident, a town in eastern Germany was granted ownership of 10 gold bars found by a municipal worker. With no credible proof of ownership presented within the specified period, the town near Dresden will retain the bars pending a decision by the local council.
Mayor Heiko Wersig mentioned plans for local community clubs to benefit from the discovery. The bars, currently under police custody, are estimated to be valued at around £34,600 in today’s market.