Hikers Stumble on Mystery Treasure Worth Hundreds of Thousands

Two hikers in the Czech Republic thought they were taking a shortcut. What they found instead was a literal treasure chest sticking out of a rock wall—and it might be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The aluminum box was wedged into a stony hillside in the Krkonoše Mountains, a forested stretch near the Polish border. Inside: 15 pounds of treasure, including 10 gold bracelets, 16 cigar cases (with a possible 17th), a powder compact, a comb, a key on a chain, and 598 gold coins. The hikers, who’ve chosen to remain anonymous, brought the entire stash to the Museum of Eastern Bohemia in Hradec Králové—unannounced, just carrying a metal box filled with questions and gold.

“The finders came to our museum’s numismatist without a prior appointment. Only after that did archaeologists begin to deal with the find and set out to explore the site,” Miroslav Novák, head of the museum’s archaeology department, told CNN.

Treasure Discovered by Shocked Hikers

At current gold prices, the coins alone—about 8.16 pounds’ worth—are estimated to be worth roughly $360,000, according to museum expert Vojtěch Brádle. And that’s just the melt value. Two of the cigar cases haven’t even been opened yet, and no one knows what they might contain.

Theories about who hid the stash and why are multiplying by the day. The latest coin dates to 1921, giving researchers a post-World War I time frame—but no local currency was included. That’s weird. “Usually, Czech finds from the 20th century mainly contain German and Czechoslovak coins. There is not a single one here,” said Brádle.

Instead, the coins come from France and the Balkans. Some even have countermarks from former Yugoslavia. That has archaeologists wondering whether the stash was moved from the south after World War I—or whether it was intentionally hidden by someone fleeing during the region’s many waves of displacement.

Novák believes the treasure may be linked to the turbulent years before or after World War II. Others are pointing fingers at wealthy families like the Swéerts-Šporks, who once owned nearby estates. “It is most likely related to the turbulent period before the start of World War II…or to 1945, when the Germans were leaving,” Novák explained.

The treasure is now undergoing full material analysis and will eventually go on display at the museum. As far as the hikers, Czech law guarantees them a payout based on the treasure’s value. As Novák said, “The finder is entitled to a financial reward.” Not a bad deal for an afternoon stroll.