Man Stumbles Upon $800,000 in Gold While Digging in His Backyard

Earlier this year, an individual unearthed an astounding hidden treasure valued at $800,000 while he was constructing a swimming pool in his backyard in France, as confirmed by regional officials.

Upon unearthing the gold in May, the man promptly notified the local authorities who granted him permission to retain the treasure. The council in Neuville-sur-Saone, a town in the east, explained that since the gold was not linked to an archaeological site, he was allowed to keep it.

The find consisted of 'five gold bars and a multitude of coins' encased in plastic bags, as reported by the local newspaper Le Progres.

Policemen discovered that the gold had been lawfully obtained and was smelted approximately '15 or 20 years ago' at a nearby refinery.

Unique serial numbers on the bars enabled the police to verify their legitimacy and confirm that they had not been stolen.

Under the French civil code from the 19th century, treasure is defined as 'any concealed or buried item that lacks evidence of ownership and is uncovered by chance.'

The article specifies that 'ownership of such treasure is granted to the finder if discovered on their property.'

The prior property owner has since passed away, leaving the origins of the buried gold an unsolved enigma.

As a reference, the price of gold per ounce was recently noted at $4,017.33, per American Hartford Gold.