Millions of coins spill across Texas highway after truck overturns, authorities report

A tractor-trailer transporting $800,000 USD in dimes rolled over, causing a massive coin spill, The Canberra Times reported. This incident forced the closure of the southbound lanes of US 287 in Alvord for about half a day. Workers resorted to picking up coins by hand, as well as using brooms, shovels, and large industrial vacuums to clear the mess.

The truck tipped onto its side around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday after veering off the road and overcorrecting, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The highway reopened around 7 p.m. that same day.

Both the driver and a passenger were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Alvord is situated roughly 130 kilometers northwest of Dallas.

The tractor-trailer involved appears to be part of the fleet operated by Western Distributing Transportation Corporation, a company that includes a division responsible for transporting government cargo in armored vehicles staffed with armed personnel. A company representative declined to comment when contacted on Thursday.

The US Mint, the nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coins, did not immediately respond to a message left on Thursday.