A tip about a swerving van led Norwegian police to the discovery of 66,000 U.S. silver coins during a money laundering investigation. In April 2025, officers in Baerum, west of Oslo, pulled over a van after noticing it swerving on a highway. Inside, they found tens of thousands of American Eagle silver coins, a type of collectible coin produced by the U.S. Mint. A second van that arrived shortly afterward was also found to contain tens of thousands more coins. In total, the coins were valued at at least 25 Norwegian krone each, totaling about $2.65 million. On Thursday, Norway’s economic crime unit, Okokrim, announced that three Norwegians had been sentenced to prison for their roles in the illegal possession of the coins. The convictions were related to a "major investment scheme" in the United States, where proceeds were allegedly converted into millions of dollars worth of coins. The three individuals — two men and a woman — were found guilty of organizing the scheme and storing the coins, and received sentences of up to 2.5 years in prison. Two Britons who faced charges were acquitted, though both sides may still appeal the decision. Public Prosecutor Jon André Hvoslef-Eide expressed satisfaction that the coins had been recovered and that the legal process had concluded. He noted that this allowed the victims of the U.S. fraud to have the misappropriated assets returned to them once the judicial process was complete. Hvoslef-Eide told The Associated Press that the victims, whose identities were not disclosed, could only reclaim the assets after the legal proceedings were finalized. This discovery was part of an ongoing effort to locate missing U.S. silver coins. In 2019, investigators found a similar hoard of 79,500 coins. At the time, U.S. authorities requested further searches, which led to the 2025 discovery. The U.S. Mint produces American Eagle coins in various metals, including gold, silver, and palladium, each with a different value. With the price of silver rising significantly in recent months, the Norwegian haul has become even more valuable than when it was first taken.