Hundreds of rare gold coins dug out of the walls of a remote French mansion fetched more than 1 million euros at auction on Wednesday, reports The Guardian.
Stonemasons discovered 239 pieces of gold, minted before the French Revolution, when they began renovating the property near Quimper in the western Brittany region, auctioneers Ivoire/Deloys said.
The family kept four coins as souvenirs and put the rest up for auction in the western town of Angers, with an estimated value of 250,000-300,000 euros.
Bidding opened at 8,000 euros for a very rare double Louis d’Or, depicting Louis XIV and dating back to 1646. It went for 46,000 euros, the same price as a Louis d’Or from Paris dated 1640 and stamped with the Templar’s Cross.