Thank you for all of your replies and your advice!
Jacon: I will try to find my black light today. We just moved and I'll have to go through boxes to find it. I'll attach a few more pictures. The only reason I thought that it had been repainted is because of the paint over the worm damage and that pattern that could be underneath the paint. But it could also just be faded. The front is twice as thick but it is not a single thick board, it looks like there is one board on the inside (that has the flat panels) and several little pieces of wood applied to the front with wood dowels. The carved area on the front also looks like it is applied, not carved into the board.
If it is the original paint, and with it's missing feet, and it's condition, what do you think it would be worth? I have seen wildly differing asking prices for similar European chests in similar condition, anywhere from $1,000-$3,000. Frankly, I'll be excited if it's worth more than the $250 I paid for it. Even if it isn't, I love it so much that I wouldn't care.