Aquarium in NC collects 100 gallons of coins from bottom of waterfall

CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. — The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores said it removed coins from its waterfall for the first time in 15 years, WCTI reported.

Staff decided to turn off the 30-foot Smoky Mountain waterfall and gather the coins that visitors have thrown in over the years.

The aquarium said it collected 100 gallons of coins from the bottom in five-gallon buckets.

The waterfall was not initially intended to be a wishing well, according to Cindy Myers, the aquarium’s visitor and member services coordinator.

“The public decided it should be a wishing well,” she explained, “We decided since we were going to be closed to the public for an extended period that we would shut the waterfall off to save electricity. Since we did that, we could see all the coins in there, and it was really piling up. We decided to drain the waterfall and get it in,” Myers said.

Staff are taking the coins to the bank in portions and as of now, they have gotten $2,100, Myers said.

At this point, the aquarium is still closed to the public under Gov. Roy Cooper’s order

SEE: Two penguin chicks hatch at Tennessee Aquarium SEE: Two penguin chicks hatch at Tennessee Aquarium (NCD)

Cox Media Group