Treasure in Clubhouse: Dutch Children Strike It Rich
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BENNEKOM, Netherlands — Eight youngsters digging around the foundation of their clubhouse unearthed two glass jars filled with gold coins and jewelry worth about $215,000, police said Monday.
The treasure, buried 16 inches below the surface, included modern gold coins issued by South Africa, Canada and Austria, as well as gold bracelets, necklaces and rings.
The children, aged 9 to 11, made the discovery on a deserted plot of land in the central Dutch town of Bennekom, according to police spokesman Theo Reus. They found the jars Thursday while digging a hole to reinforce their clubhouse’s foundation.
One of their parents notified police, Reus said.
“We’re investigating whether it (the treasure) is the proceeds of a crime or whether it was buried legally,” Reus said. “We brought in a bulldozer to do some digging of our own but found nothing.”
He said seven people already have claimed ownership of the treasure.
According to Dutch law, authorities have 30 years to find the legal owners. If none is found, the gold and jewels become the property of the finders.
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