Hundreds of French gold coins found in wall of house to be auctioned

239 pre-revolutionary (Louis XIII and XIV) French gold coins were found in the wall of a house during renovation in 2019. Their existence was just revealed because they are to be auctioned this month. Should bring about $300,000. The family that owns the house will share the proceeds with the workmen who found the coins.

The pic below shows some of the coins. The link gives more info.

Cal

link: https://www.enca.com/news/french-home-renovation-yields-rare-gold-coin-treasure

 

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Awww !! Man ! I Love stories like this. Makes you wonder what happened to the original owner's ? In the old days, the " Man of the house" would often stow away their families extra cash in fear of getting robbed. The man would do this thinking they would out live the wife and never passed it on to their kids, that's if he had any . I assume he didn't have any family based on the story and just never told anybody. It makes me want to poke around my house .

 

Awesome story.

@SensibleSal66 you don't hide anything in your home? Anybody who searches my home will find a hoard of dust bunnies, spiders, and the uber valuable dirt under the rugs. Have fun!

 

cool story. amazing coins too.

 

I am also glad that they were able to sell the coins and give money to themselves and to the people that found them. a win win.

 

Rats, that's where I left them.

 

Someone should do a comparison of their purchasing power back in the 1600s compared with today!

 

I just love to hear that the workmen who found the coins will get a share...any kind of share...because they could have just pocketed them.

Wow, aren't those pretty?!

Steve

 

the only thing I've found inside the walls are rusty razors.

Very cool.

 

Once upon a time I was renovating an older building in Sacramento and I found a new stanley 100 plus hammer in a wall. It became my favorite finish hammer for years to come. The last time the building was renovated was in 1956 and it became mine in 1978. We also found a few silver coins, pennies, and wine bottles in the walls.

 

Great story but did anyone see the part where France made a law in 2016 that anything of value found on private property goes to the government. Even if it is in a persons own home/family farm.
They found it before then. Not sure if it was in the courts between workman and owner or they just sat on it for the right time to sell.

 

I think the law refers to when the current owners obtained the property. If it was obtained prior to 2012, such finds belong to the owner. If obtained after 2012, such finds belong to the government. Yeah, this kind of law is self-defeating. Finds on property acquired after 2012 will be kept secret if possible. The loot will be quietly sold, probably in Switzerland or elsewhere outside France. The provenance and historical/archeological value of the find will be lost forever. In addition, the government will lose any income or VA taxes they might have collected. A truly stupid law!

Cal

 

Great thread Calcol.Also wonder if the coins were forgotten about for the original owner lost his head during the French Revolution

 

Good point. I wonder if previous owners of the property could be discovered by searching through old deed and property records. Maybe it was tried and was a dead end.

Cal

 

So you lived in France…?

 

LOL, what they don't know, won't hurt the French Govt. Who would be dumb enough to inform them.

 

Beautiful gold coins.

 

Serafino not talking politics just history. We are taking about France here. As much as I love about that nation, it is still a nation that has a history of neighbors turning on neighbors

Just ask the French Huguenots and the French Jews.

 

The French also have a short memory, they forgot which country removed the German boot from their necks......twice.

 

Napoleon?