Italian bank chiefs have been left short-changed after motorists coined it in when a bullion van overturned, spilling up to two million Euros (£1.6m) onto a busy motorway.
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Drivers and their passengers risked life and limb to make off with close to 50,000 Euros (£45,000) after thousands upon thousands of one and two Euro coins scattered across the lanes.
Bound for Bari, the bullion van spilled its valuable load after bursting a tyre, causing it to hit another car before slamming into a barrier on the A14 motorway, near Foggia in southern Italy.
The accident dislodged the boxes on board which burst open as they hit the ground, paving a vast stretch of the road with gold.
One witness told a local TV station: "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. People were stopping on the motorway risking their lives to pick up the coins.
"It was a real free-for-all and I am amazed no-one was killed as people were running across the lanes to reach the coins."
Police said the thirst for the crash cash outweighed compassion for those injured in the collision and disrupted any attempts to contain the costly spillage.
"Our job was made very difficult as the coins had gone onto both carriageways and motorists were stopping and picking up the money," he said.
"Two drivers in the truck and two in the car were hurt, but no-one was bothered about them. Fortunately they were not too badly hurt."
Staff from the bullion company were still at the scene using brushes to sweep up coins a day after the collision.
Police have appealed for the public "to return the money to its rightful owners".
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I would not stop unless I saw a person in need of help.
And I would not pick up a single euro, One as a memento, would be cool, and I would nail that to my Bar
I would rather shoot the fuckers that are picking up, REALLY.
Nobody owes you Fuckall, REALLY.
Is this making hay while the sun shines?
