Latest news with #PaulNarce
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Secrets In The Wall: Lessons From The Paul Narce Hoard
Collection of french antique gold coins (Napoleon), isolated on white background The Hidden Fortune of Paul Narce In the quiet French village of Castillonnès, the world of numismatics was stunned by the discovery of a secret coin hoard belonging to the late Paul Narce. Narce, a reclusive collector, spent his life amassing a remarkable trove of gold and silver coins—ranging from Napoléon 20-franc pieces to medieval French écus and ancient Roman coins. He concealed his collection behind a storeroom wall and a painting, passing away without a will (décès ab intestat), triggering French forced heirship rules (réserve héréditaire). Only after his death, when a notary inventoried his estate, did the true extent of his hidden fortune come to light. The collection, auctioned in Paris, fetched over €3.3 million, far surpassing expectations and captivating collectors worldwide. Why Do Collectors Hide Their Treasures? Narce's story is both extraordinary and cautionary. It raises a critical question: Why do collectors go to such lengths to conceal their collections, sometimes even from their closest confidants or heirs? Common Motivations for Secrecy These motivations are reinforced by the unique nature of art and collectibles as asset classes. Unlike stocks or real estate, their value is subjective, their markets opaque, and their meaning intensely personal. The emotional resonance of a collection can outweigh rational planning. The Professional's Role: Encouraging Disclosure For estate planners, attorneys, and advisors, hidden collections present a significant challenge. Undisclosed assets can derail succession plans, trigger legal disputes, and even result in treasures being lost forever. How can professionals encourage clients to reveal what they have hidden? Building Trust and Understanding Practical Steps for Advisors FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Conclusion The tale of Paul Narce is a vivid reminder that the treasures we hide can become both our legacy and our undoing. For professionals, the challenge is to bridge the gap between secrecy and stewardship—helping clients protect not just their assets, but the stories and passions that give those assets meaning. With empathy, expertise, and careful planning, it is possible to ensure that collections are not lost to time but instead become enduring gifts for the future.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Reclusive French Collector Hid Nearly $3.48 Million In Rare Gold Coins In The Walls Of His Home
High-end auctions are famous for having rare collectibles, but sometimes the story behind the items up for bid can be as interesting as the item itself. This was the case recently in Paris, where a collection of ultra-rare gold coins was sold for nearly $3.5 million. That part isn't unusual, but the coin's origin story defies belief. They were found hidden in the walls of their former owner's home. Paris-based auction house, Beaussant Lefèvre & Associates, conducted the sale, according to CNN. The more details they provided about the coin's history, the more unbelievable the story became. The coin's original owner was a man named Paul Narce. By all accounts, he was a quiet and unassuming man, and he kept his passion for coin collecting secret from all but a few people in his life. Don't Miss: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — Tired of Grid Failures and Charging Deserts? This Startup Has a Solar Fix and $25M+ in Sales — Some of the oldest coins in Narce's collection are from the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia and could date as far back as 323 B.C. Narce also had a complete set of coins from French monarchs, Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI. It's the kind of coin collection you would expect to be owned by a wealthy French businessman who travelled the world to find them, but that was not Narce's story. "Narce, who lived a modest life and didn't see a lot of the world, spent all of his money on his collection," coin expert Thierry Parsy in a public statement advertising the sale. He spent much of his life amassing the collection, which Parsy described as "exceptional both in number, with more than 1,000 pieces, as well as the rarities it contains." Parsy also said that many of Narce's coins were several hundred years old. According to Parsy, Narce died without any heirs, and only a few people in his inner circle knew he collected coins, and Parsy told CNN that none of them had any idea where he kept the coins. Complicating matters further, Narce checked into a managed care facility about a year before he died. His coins "could have remained undiscovered forever," said Parsy. Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: If it weren't for the efforts of an enterprising notary in the small Southwestern French village where Narce lived, Narce's collection may have never been found. According to CNN, the notary searched Narce's former home and found the coin collection in a storeroom. Narce had tucked the coins away in between the walls of the storeroom and behind a painting hanging on the wall. It's quite obvious Narce put a very high premium on security and being secretive. CNN also said that old coins weren't the only currency Narce collected. The notary also found a trove of 20-franc gold coins. Narce may have been a private man, but his instincts about collecting gold coins proved to be spot on. Gold prices have been skyrocketing for much of the year. CNN reported that the $3.5 million final hammer price was significantly higher than pre-auction estimates and the current premium on gold could explain the high price. It's too bad Narce didn't get to enjoy the profits his coin collection generated.. Read Next: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Can you guess how many retire with a $5,000,000 nest egg? . Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Reclusive French Collector Hid Nearly $3.48 Million In Rare Gold Coins In The Walls Of His Home originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
18-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
He took a secret to his grave — and left 1,000 gold coins hidden behind a wall
image: iStock When Paul Narce passed away quietly at the age of 89 in Castillonnes, France, no one knew he'd been guarding a hidden treasure. Living modestly and largely out of public view, Narce spent his life quietly amassing a breathtaking collection of historic gold coins—many of them centuries old. The stash, tucked away behind a wall in his home, remained a mystery until after his death, when a notary acting on a tip from villagers uncovered it. That long-hidden cache, now revealed, has stunned collectors and historians alike, eventually fetching nearly $4 million at auction. A modest life with a million-dollar secret of 1,000 gold coins Narce wasn't a well-known figure. He didn't travel much, had no children, and lived a quiet life with his sister Claudette, who passed away a year before him. But behind that modesty was a lifelong passion for numismatics—the study and collection of currency. Every coin he owned was meticulously labeled and preserved, with some dating back to ancient Macedonia (336–323 BC), and others from the reigns of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Paul Narce's collections of antique and exclusive coins The real discovery happened only after an extensive search of his estate. In a storage room, hidden behind a wall-mounted picture, investigators found the treasure: over 1,000 rare coins, including entire cloth pouches filled with gold 'Napoleons' (20 franc coins). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like O novo dispositivo que os idosos usam para ajudar na neuropatia (dor nos nervos) A arte do herbalismo Undo Coin expert Thierry Parsy, who handled the auction, remarked that the collection could have been lost forever had Narce's hobby not been mentioned by locals. A goldmine of historical riches The collection included gold coins from the First French Empire and masterpieces of Gothic numismatic art. Parsy described it as one of the most significant private collections ever brought to market in both quality and quantity. It was auctioned at the Beaussant Lefevre house in Paris, pulling in a staggering $3.8 million—far exceeding the original estimate of $2.3 million. A legacy without a clear successor With no immediate heirs, the windfall from the sale is expected to go to distant cousins. Meanwhile, another set of coins—valued at $115,650—will be auctioned off separately. What remains is not just a fortune in gold, but a legacy of quiet passion, meticulous dedication, and the thrilling reminder that some of history's greatest secrets lie just behind the walls.
New York Post
13-06-2025
- New York Post
Gold coin collection discovered behind a wall after owner's death sells — for nearly $4 million
All in all, it was hiding behind just another brick in the wall. A collection of rare gold coins nearly lost to history after its owner passed away has fetched nearly $4 million at auction. The gilded stash had been amassed over a lifetime by numismatist Paul Narce, who lived in Castillonnès, France, until his death last year at 89, the Times of London reported. Unknown collector Paul Narce managed to amass a top-notch cache of gold coins that was only discovered after his death. Beaussant Lefèvre and Associates 'I have never seen such a major collection go on sale from the point of view of quantity and quality,' coin expert Thierry Parsy said in a statement ahead of the sale, which went down at the Beaussant Lefèvre auction house in Paris, CNN reported. 'Narce, who lived a modest life and didn't see a lot of the world, spent all of his money on his collection,' said Parsy. His rare prizes were meticulously labeled — the collection reportedly numbered more than a thousand pieces, some dating back centuries. These included pieces from the Kingdom of Macedonia, dating to 336-323 BC, and nearly complete sets of coins exchanged during the reigns of French Kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — including some minted just before the latter's execution by guillotine in 1793. 'Narce, who lived a modest life and didn't see a lot of the world, spent all of his money on his collection,' said Thierry Parsy. Beaussant Lefèvre and Associates Parsy said that Narce clearly 'knew what he was buying,' which seemed unusual given that he was an unknown. In fact, the coin expert said that the treasure trove 'could have remained undiscovered forever' — had the notary in charge of the deceased's estate not heard of Narce's unique hobby from local villagers. The elderly collector had no children or heirs and had moved to a nursing home after his sister Claudette, with whom he collected the coins, passed away a year prior. Along with the aforementioned collection, they found 'masterpieces of gothic art' and ten cloth pouches, each containing 172 'Napoléons' (golden 20 franc coins) — amounting to an ingot of gold. After an extensive search of the property, the notary finally located the treasure chest — hidden behind the picture on the wall of a storage room. The coin collection went under the gavel for an eye-popping $3.8 million, far exceeding the pre-auction estimate of around $2.3 million. Meanwhile, the francs, valued at around $115,650, will be auctioned off separately. The money will reportedly go to distant cousins of Narce. Pierre Sicaud, mayor of Castillonnès, couldn't believe that the senior and his sister had amassed such an incredible collection under the radar. 'They were very polite, very modest people who lived in an ordinary house,' he explained.
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Gold Coins Found in Walls of Home Sell for $3 Million
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Gold coins found in the wall of a house in France have been sold for millions of euros at an auction. Auction house Beaussant Lefèvre and Associates told CNN that the discovered coins had sold for $3.48 million. Why It Matters The discovery of the coins was both significant in terms of their monetary value and rarity. What To Know The coins were found in a house in a small village called Castillonnès in southwest France, about 15 miles south of the town of Bergerac, and had been collected by Paul Narce, who lived in the house and died in August 2024, aged 89. Gold coins. Exceptional auction by Agrasc in partnership with the National Directorate of State Property Interventions. Gold coins. Exceptional auction by Agrasc in partnership with the National Directorate of State Property Interventions. Sipa via AP Images/ Credit:ROMUALD MEIGNEUX/SIPA/2501291749 No one knew where he kept the collection, and he had no direct descendants. A notary in charge of his estate went to discover them after Narce died having heard rumors from villagers that Narce had collected them. Narce had moved into a care home the year before his death after his sister died. The coins had been hidden in a small space in the wall behind a painting in a store room. They had been labeled. The notary found 10 packages that each contained 172 gold 20 franc coins. Some of the coins in the collection were from the Kingdom of Macedonia, dating to 336-323 BC. There was also a near complete series of coins used during the reigns of French Kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. They had initially been valued at 2 million euros ($2.43 million) but sold for far more at the auction. What People Are Saying In a statement previewing the sale, coin expert Thierry Parsy said: ""Narce, who lived a modest life and didn't see a lot of the world, spent all of his money on his collection." He added that some of the coins date back centuries and that the collection was "exceptional both in number, with more than 1,000 pieces, as well as the rarities it contains." The collection "could have remained undiscovered forever," Parsy added. "I have never seen such a major collection go on sale from the point of view of quantity and quality," he said. Narce "knew what he was buying," he added. Pierre Sicaud, the village mayor, said people in the village had not imagined that Narce and his sister had collected such a valuable lot of coins. "They were very polite, very modest people who lived in an ordinary house a stone's throw from the mairie," he told the Sud Ouest newspaper.
