A coin collector somewhere in the Lower Mainland is missing a lot of his prized possessions.

Fortunately, the Langley RCMP has found them, and is now looking for the rightful owner.

The discovery of the hundreds of coins began when RCMP Street Enforcement Team officers in Aldergrove spotted a man driving by.

Since they knew he was banned from driving, they pulled him over, said Cpl. Holly Marks, spokesperson for the local Mounties.

The 30-year-old Abbotsford man behind the wheel found himself in more trouble when officers checked the license plates of the Ford Econoline van. The plates belonged to an unregistered Oldsmobile Cutlass.

Inside the van was a backpack containing the coins. Neither the driver nor the passenger would admit to owning the coins, so they have been seized, and neither man will face charges of possession of stolen property, Marks said.

The coin collection is extensive, and includes coins in boxes, in large numbers in bags, or bagged and labelled individually.

Many are labelled with hand-written notes about their country of origin.

If the owner, or anyone who might know the owner, can contact the Langley RCMP, the police will be able to put the coins back in the right hands, said Marks.

The Langley RCMP can be reached at 604-532-3200.