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A FRENCHMAN WHO inherited a big house from a dead relative got more than he bargained for when he discovered a glittering treasure trove of gold coins and bars worth millions stashed around the place.
Squirrelled away in hiding places throughout the house, he came across thousands of gold coins and bars weighing 100 kilogrammes in total.
“There were 5,000 gold pieces, two bars of 12 kilos and 37 ingots of 1 kilo,” Nicolas Fierfort, a local auctioneer, told AFP, confirming a report in the local La Depeche newspaper.
Fierfort, who had visited the house to value furniture offered for sale by the new owner, said the loot, which was worth €3.5 million euros, was “extremely well hidden.”
“It was under the furniture, under piles of linen, in the bathroom… everywhere,” he said, admitting that he himself had overlooked the gold on his visit.
It was only when the new owner — whose identity and relationship with the previous owner were withheld — began moving the furniture that he stumbled on the stash.
Jackpot
First he found a tin box of coins screwed to the underside of a piece of furniture. From there the trail led to a box for a bottle of whiskey and other hiding places until he hit the jackpot: a pile of gold bars each weighing 12 kilos.
“At that point he called his solicitor to make an inventory,” Fierfort said.
The gold, it turned out, was bought in the 1950s and 1960s.
All the certificates of authenticity were later found in the deceased’s estate.
The gold has already been sold to various French and international buyers.
But the real winner could be the taxman, La Depeche said.
Apart from being liable for a 45% inheritance tax, the finder will also have to pay three years in back taxes on it if the deceased failed to declare his treasures.
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I really think the inheritance tax is disgusting. Getting taxed on money that has all ready been taxed is a pure highway robbery… .!!!
Its called redistribution of whealth. Its considered a socialist mechanic
She was my favourite auntie
Redistribution me arśe, no way id declare the loot. Gold is easy to sell even if you dont get top dollar for it on the black market you’d still be better off than letting the government get their greedy little trotters on it.
Absolutely 1000%
Look at Vat sure. You’re already taxed on your earnings (steeply) then when you want to buy something with that taxed money they want an extra 23% off you. Death and taxes…
I totally agree with not declaring but if that was the case here the new owner would of took all and the guy who inherited the house would of got nothing. Lucky for everyone this time!
The dead earned the money. the living didn’t.
What’s wrong with letting Darwin loose on a level playing pitch? Surely the best cream will tend to rise to the top?
It’s 1 for you 19 for me
Taxman!!
A rewarding game of Hide & Seek !
“extremely well hidden”….followed by “under furniture and under linen in the bathroom”.
Yeah, just like the farmers
Then there’s the housing tax that’s been so successful in France at leaving inherited property empty and abandoned it was exported here thanks to the idiot Lagarde.
Lucky b45t4rd
Lucky taxman
No tax on gold
There is tax on all profit whether it be gold or inheritance
liable for a 45% inheritance tax, and three years back taxes if deceased failed to declare his assets! Hopefully finder left some undeclared in his knicker drawer!
How’s this for a cunning plan: find the leprechaun gold and NOT TELL the taxman!
“Apart from being liable for a 45% inheritance tax, the finder will also have to pay three years in back taxes on it —”
My heart bleeds. Let’s hope the finder is able to come to terms with having an unexpected windfall of not much more than a million —
Fintan- Irish begrudgery will never die as long as they’re people like you knocking about. Your a typical “it’s alright for them” attitude and let the “rich” pay for everythin mindset.
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