Romania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu, has confirmed that key pieces of the Romanian national treasure—the Golden Helmet of Coțofenești and the Dacian gold bracelets—have been recovered by Dutch authorities and will be returned to Romania.
In a statement published on social media, Țoiu said she had discussed the matter with her Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen.
“The Golden Helmet of Cotofenesti and the Dacian bracelets, treasures from Romania’s heritage, dating back 2,500 years, are returning home. I spoke with Tom Berendsen, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, about the joy of this extraordinary news after more than a year of searches and the combined efforts of our countries. It is so important not to give up when something is so valuable to multiple generations.”
“We exchanged congratulations for the teams of professionals who collaborated on the investigation and for the constant communication between authorities through the ministries of foreign affairs and internal affairs,” Țoiu wrote.
Inestimable value for the national patrimony
According to the Romanian foreign minister, “it was essential that the Dutch authorities understood that recovering these treasures was absolutely necessary” for Romania, “even though the insurance had already been transferred to the Romanian state.”
“This has always been about the invaluable significance of the treasure for our identity, for universal heritage, but also about the trust in the international exhibition circuit.”
“The Golden Helmet of Cotofenesti and the bracelets were part of the exhibition “Dacia – The Land of Gold and Silver,” displayed last year at the Drents Museum in Assen. They will soon be exhibited again to the general public at home, in Romania, where we look forward to celebrating their recovery,” she added.
Joy and gratitude
Romania’s Minister of Culture, Demeter Andras, also stated that he had spoken with his Dutch counterpart, Rianne Letschert, and expressed appreciation for the Dutch authorities’ success.
“Following today’s press conference held by the Dutch authorities, I had a telephone conversation with my counterpart in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ms Rianne Letschert, Minister of Education, Culture and Science. I conveyed that we are delighted by this news, which makes possible the return home of an inestimable treasure. It is a moment that brings us joy and deep satisfaction.”
“I also expressed our appreciation and gratitude for the efforts made by the Dutch authorities in the process of recovering the Golden Helmet of Coțofenești and the Dacian bracelets. This development is an important step and a clear signal of the effectiveness of our cooperation. We commend the professionalism, coordination and commitment of all authorities and institutions involved, and thank them for their sustained efforts in this endeavour,” Demeter wrote.
The Golden Helmet of Coțofenești and two of the three Dacian gold bracelets stolen last year from the Drents Museum in the Netherlands have now been returned to Romania, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service said in a press release on its website on Thursday.
In September 2025, Romania’s Ministry of Culture announced that it had received €5.7 million in insurance compensation for the four movable cultural assets stolen from the Drents Museum.
Photo: Demeter András István / Facebook
