He was 15 to 18 meters beneath the surface "pumping sand" at the time. As the layer of sediment covering the vessel became thinner, it slowly revealed a coin about the size of a modern NT $ 10 coin.
鄭清文清楚記得，當時他在水下 15 至 18 公尺深處執行「抽沙」工作，隨著將軍一號甲板上積埋的沙層愈抽愈薄，他看到一枚台幣 10 元大小的硬幣慢慢顯現身影。