A man in France found gold bars and coins worth around 700,000 euros (RM3.6 million) while digging a swimming pool in his backyard, local authorities said on Thursday.
The man found the treasure at his home in the town of Neuville-sur-Saone, near Lyon, in May and immediately reported it to the Regional Department of Cultural Affairs.
A spokesman for the Neuville-sur-Saone local authority said that officials allowed the man to keep the treasure because there was no evidence that it was an archaeological artifact.
The same spokesman added that there was no indication as to how the treasure could have ended up there and that the previous owner of the land had died.
According to a report by regional newspaper Le Progres, the treasure consisted of five gold bars and a large number of gold coins found in plastic bags.
The owner of the excavation site is now awaiting an official decision from authorities to determine the legal position regarding the discovery.
In addition, a number of archaeological and numismatic experts have been asked to evaluate the coins and gold bars to determine the age and true value of the objects.
