Without warning on an overcast Auckland, New Zealand day in 1977, the sky opened up and down came a rain of large and small coins, lumps of coal, nails, bits of crystal, broken bottles and paper money, much of it ripped to shreds. Even more extraordinary, this shower of cash and junk was directed at one house—and one house only; the home of the Thompson family. As one eyewitness put it, "It seemed as if the sky had opened up over the Thompson home and begun to discharge the most amazing amount of money and rubbish. Coins bounced off the roof and were scrambled for by the local children. Looking upward, it was a staggering and frightening sight. If you can imagine a hailstorm consisting of rubble and cash—all of it directed at only one house—that is what we saw." The phenomenon started during the early afternoon and quickly increased in fury. Windows soon shattered, and shards of glass spewed into the street, peppering and slicing the children and neighbors who watched in horror. One police officer was struck by a flying bottle as he exited his vehicle, rendering him unconscious for several minutes. When the bizarre rain finally stopped, it was followed by a human frenzy as bystanders raced around madly, scooping up coins (a total of $85.50 US had fallen in all). Despite a thorough investigation, police authorities were never able to explain what had happened that day.