The collection of ancient gold coins will be auctioned at the end of this month, estimated to be worth around $356,000.
Ancient coins hidden in a mansion in France are set to be auctioned. (Photo: Ivoire Angers/Deloys)
Three construction workers discovered hundreds of ancient gold coins while renovating a mansion in the coastal area of Plozévet, Brittany, northwestern France, in 2019, according to an announcement from the auction house Deloys. This collection of gold coins will be auctioned at Deloys in Angers, France, on September 29, with expectations of fetching over $356,000. The proceeds will be split between two groups: the three construction workers and the owners of the mansion. The owners are a couple who purchased the mansion in 2012.
In 2019, while merging a storage room with a children’s room, the construction team found a metal box inside a wall filled with gold coins. A few days later, they discovered a wallet containing more gold coins above a beam in the house.
There are a total of 239 gold coins, all minted during the reigns of King Louis XIII (1610 – 1643) and King Louis XIV (1643 – 1715), according to the Regional Preventive Archaeology Agency in France. This agency has verified, analyzed, and studied the coins.
Among them, the oldest coin dates back to 1638, while the newest was minted in 1692. The treasure also includes some particularly rare coins, such as the “double” Louis d’Or minted in 1646, which alone is estimated to be worth $17,800. Experts believe that only about 120 such coins still exist today.
The mansion was built in the 13th century and belonged to a wealthy merchant or farming family. The Iroise Sea, adjacent to Brittany, was a bustling trading area in the 17th century due to the export of Bordeaux wine to England and grain to Northern Europe. The local economy declined from 1750 to 1850, partly due to the expansion of ports in Normandy. However, the development of the fishing industry has revitalized the local economy.
