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Divers who were conducting a clean up of trash dumped in a New Zealand harbour are shocked to discover sunken treasure

Sunken treasure has been discovered submerged near a port by divers conducting a harbour clean-up.

Everything that shines in this story is gold, as the divers hauled up nearly 900 coins during the project.

The 99 Crew Dive Team had been cleaning up the waters near a wharf in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, when they discovered the treasure trove, Stuff.co.nz reported.

A pile of the coins retrieved by the 99 Crew Dive team displayed after their harbour clean-up

The dive team used balloons to help lift submerged items to the surface

Dive organiser Rob Wilson said of the 868 coins discovered and retrieved, some were apparently of value.

However, no valuation of the coins were given.

Responding to comments on the story, one person – who appeared to be a member of the dive team -said any items of value would be sold and proceeds used to cover the clean-up job, which the divers paid for out of their own pocket.



The dive crew collected 868 coins from the sea bed near a wharf in Wellington Harbour

A member of the dive crew in action during the tidy up project during which they discovered nearly 900 coins

Footage of the dive team’s efforts shows them pulling a number of items out of the water and their sparkling – if slightly tarnished – pile of coins sitting on a piece of plastic.

Among the other items discovered in on the sea bed were 577 cans, 116 glass bottles, a clothes iron, clothing, cash cards, cow bones and a bong.

It was the group’s second tidy-up in two weeks, Stuff reported.

The dive team organises the clean-ups regularly to support the health of the harbour.