NEW YORK: Two modern day treasure hunters in the United States appeared to strike gold when they uncovered a safe stuffed with $100,000 in cash — but there was a catch. The notes were ruined.

Barbara Agostini and James Kane, both in their 40s, have been propelled to celebrity status beyond their magnet fishing community after making the discovery in a New York pond over the weekend.

“It’s surreal, I thought it was a joke until I saw it with my eyes,” said Barbara Agostini.

Though not the pair’s first time discovering a safe, it was their first one containing more than random odds and ends, although because the safe was not air-tight many of the notes were wet or mud smeared.

Fearing the money could be linked to crime, the couple went to the New York police, saying they “didn’t want to have a problem on our hands”.

But police washed their hands of the cash.

“As a general matter, found property valued at ten dollars or more is required to be reported to, and deposited with, the police,” a police spokesman said.

“In this instance, the value and authenticity of the alleged currency could not be determined due to the severely disintegrated condition of the property.”

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2024