German handballs most famous trophy has been found, ending a bizarre four-month mystery where it was believed stolen and melted down. The large silver dish, engraved with decades of champion team names, vanished from Fuechse Berlin's offices in November. The club reported Monday that the trophy had been discovered stashed in a basement storage area, suggesting thieves initially hid it but abandoned plans to retrieve it due to intense media scrutiny.

The trophy, valued at approximately €12,000 in 2014, had led authorities to suspect it was melted down after silver bars were seized during raids in January. The German Handball Federation has now canceled its order for a replacement trophy. While Fuechse Berlin won't be able to display the historic prize immediately, it has been secured by police as evidence.

Handball remains one of Germany's most popular team sports, particularly in northern Europe, with the men's league enjoying significant television coverage. The recovery of this iconic trophy provides a rare positive conclusion to a case that had initially seemed destined for permanent loss.