Tourists in Czech Republic find gold worth fortune. It witnessed turbulent events

In the Czech Krkonoše Mountains, two tourists stumble upon an unusual find – two aluminum cans filled with hundreds of gold coins and antique jewelry. Experts estimate the treasure's value at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Its origins may date back to the turbulent events of the 20th century.

Spring is the perfect time for mountain hiking. During one of their hikes, in the Zvičina region in northern Bohemia , a pair of hikers stumbled upon an unusual find. At the foot of a peak, they discovered two aluminum cans filled with gold —and not just any gold. Inside were 600 antique coins and jewelry, the street value of which could reach up to $700,000 .

A treasure from the 20th century found in the Czech mountains / Museum of Východních in Hradec Králové

The found boxes contained not only 598 gold coins from France , the Balkan countries , the Ottoman Empire and North Africa , but also a chain , a comb, a powder compact, 10 bracelets and 16 elaborately decorated snuffboxes. All made of gold or richly decorated with it. The youngest coin in the collection dates back to 1921, which suggests that the treasure was hidden in the interwar period or just after it.

Gold found by tourists in the Czech Republic / Museum of Western Bohemia in Hradec Králové

Experts from the East Bohemian Museum , which took over the find, suggest that the hiding of the valuable deposit could have been connected to the dramatic events of the 20th century. Possible scenarios include protection of the property from Nazi confiscation, fear of the Soviet army or nationalization during the communist era.

The fact that the treasure has remained untouched for decades indicates that the area has not been searched before. This may mean that there are still other hidden war-time deposits waiting to be discovered in the Karkonosze region. Museum workers do not rule out further discoveries and appeal for caution and reporting potential discoveries to local authorities.

Treasure found by tourists in the Czech Republic / Východních Museum in Hradec Králové