An interesting read is Nazi Gold, by Sayer and Botting. This focuses not on one specific hoard, but many smaller (but still very large) ones. It starts with the Berlin banks sending their reserves away from the Allied bombing and Russian advance. Much is sent to the Merkers mine, where at the time the Americans uncovered over $300m of loot, which a later valuation put at $238m in bullion alone. This was made up of bars, coins and plates looted from all over Europe; the gold and silver plates and goblets had been roughly flattened to save space. Much of the bullion came from occupied Europe, and there were bundles of foreign currency as well. Then there were the works of art (400 tons of artworks) and other precious items (statues, gems and jewellery). Less pleasant was the discovery of large numbers of gold teeth fillings and dental bridges gathered from the concentration camp victims. From there the story follows the trail of this treasure as it is moved about the shrinking German territory. Despite German efficiency in record keeping, it is still not really known how much was moved, or to where. The occupying Americans set investigators to track it down. On the way various caches are found, others are stolen, and there are corrupt military government officials, black marketeers’ and loyal German officers trying to save the money to rebuild their country. The investigating officers are thwarted not just by the Germans but also by their own commanders. German Mountain Troops constructed logged bunkers where they hid gold and currency, along with small arms, whilst some civilians had small stashes buried in their gardens. Whilst none of the recovered caches are individually as huge as the Polish one is rumoured to be, they are still worth millions each. Estimates in 1945 suggested $432m worth was unaccounted for. Whilst the paper currency may not have survived if not well protected, the gold and other precious metals and gems would, and their value today would be enormous. In Kelly’s Heroes, they ‘liberate’ gold worth £12m; apparently today that would be worth 35 times that.
In a T2k setting, it could possibly form the basis of a mini campaign. Players hear of a small stash, uncover it and find clues to more somewhere in the area. Of course they might not be the only team looking.
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