Hidden Treasure: French Man’s Secret Gold Coin Collection Sells For Over €3 Million

 

A remarkable hidden treasure of historic gold coins, secretly amassed over decades by a modest man in rural France, has fetched more than €3 million at auction in Paris.

The collection, which included over 1,000 rare gold coins, was discovered concealed in a wall of a house in southwestern France following the death of its owner, Paul Narce, in 2024.

Narce, who lived a quiet life in a small village and had no direct descendants, was known only to a few as a coin enthusiast. What no one knew, however, was the extraordinary extent—and value—of his collection.

“Paul Narce never traveled much, never lived extravagantly—he devoted nearly every cent to this collection,” said coin expert Thierry Parsy ahead of the sale, which was conducted by Beaussant Lefèvre and Associates.

Parsy described the trove as “exceptional both in number and rarity,” noting it included coins dating as far back as 336–323 BC from the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia. The collection also featured nearly complete gold coin series from the reigns of French monarchs Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI.

The collection might never have come to light had it not been for a diligent notary, assigned to manage Narce’s estate. The house had remained empty after Narce moved into a care home a year before his death. During a search, the notary discovered the coins in a hidden compartment behind a painting in a storage room.

Alongside the cataloged collection, the notary also uncovered 10 sealed packets—each holding 172 French 20-franc gold coins, roughly equal in weight to a gold ingot.

The auction’s final haul came to over €3 million (approximately $3.48 million), significantly exceeding its original estimate of €2 million.

The discovery and sale have captivated collectors and historians alike, with experts calling it one of the most significant private numismatic finds in recent French history.