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The construction workers stumbled across the hidden trove of gold bars and coins while drilling to lay new sewage pipes in the property in east Flanders earlier this week, local media report.

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The property currently belongs to CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, which provides welfare support in Dendermonde, a Flemish community of around 47,000 people.

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The rightful owner has five years to claim the hoard under Belgian law - though the local prosecutor, who has launched an investigation, said it was not yet known who this might be.

If no one comes forward, civil law states that hidden treasure on someone else’s property be divided between the finder and the property’s owner.

This only applies, though, if the stash is not found to be linked to criminal activity.

Both the builders and the charity now face a wait of up to 1,823 days for an owner to come forward. If no one speaks up to successfully claim it, silence truly will be golden.

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