Why Not Every One Heart Warming Tradition To Have The Gift Of Giving:
Anonymous Donations in the Form of Rare Gold Coins to the Salvation Army Brought a Smile during the Holidays.
During the holiday season, we often witness the spirit of giving, which stands out among the Red Kettles offered by the Salvation Army. The seasoned sound, brought along by the jingling of bells ringing, alerts pedestrians to reach into their pockets and dig out loose change or bills to donate. While t most donations range from spare change to a few dollar bills, a select few choose to take a more generous approach by donating rare gold coins worth thousands of dollars. These golden acts of kindness have created a heartwarming holiday tradition that spreads kindness and hope during an often tough season for numerous people.
A Heart Warming Story from Pennsylvania, Washington.
On Christmas Eve, a Salvation Army staff member stationed at a store in Washington, Pennsylvania, received a rather odd surprise gift while working in front of a Giant Eagle supermarket. They were presented with a gold coin concealed within a regular dollar bill alongside a pile of ordinary coins. A note attached read out the donor’s desire for anonymity.
On close examination, they concluded that the coin presented was, in fact, a Canadian Gold Maple Leaf bearing a stamp of Queen Elizabeth II. Experts claim that it is worth more than 2700 dollars.
As a representative of the Salvation Army stated, “The Red Kettle campaign needs more foot traffic during holidays.” “The money collected will go back to the local community to fund vital social services for countless families and individuals in 2025.” “That was not the only case. Different Red Kettles have also sold a limited number of rare coins, which has gotten them a lot of publicity.” “In the United States, Red Kettle’s donations have made them gain and lose people’s attention, and for some reason, a few gold coins have also been added.” Citizens of Canton, Michigan, and Naples, California, donated South African coins in Krugerrands. A Farmington Hills, Michigan resident donated a 10 ruble coin and two sovereign coins. A gold coin of $3,000 was located at a kettle in Monmouth, Oregon. A Fargo, North Dakota resident donated an Australian Gold Kangaroo coin worth $3,000. Nugget coins have also been seen in Napa County. The cryptic coins stated above were found in all these places, which raises the question, who are these charitable people?
The Increasing Enigma
The mystery regarding the motives behind the donation persists. Some people believe that this is the effort of a single person, while others think it is the coordinated effort of some people united under the traditions practiced every year.
In Napa, a Salvation Army staff member, Larry Carmichael, claimed, “This isn’t a coin you own; you can simply toss around anywhere. It is purposely given out as a donation. Thus, the person who used to own it was meticulous about what charity he wished to donate it to.”
More than Just Money: A Gifting Alternative
Zanca further discussed this emerging pattern as a portfolio manager at his firm, Blanchard & Co.
As Zanca puts it, “And why not? Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins are straight up in gold bullion form.” Zanca continued, “Like many traditions, it’s intriguing how such coins can be donated or gifted. And exactly these coins are used; they are secretive.”
Exemplifying this is the Gold Maple Leaf coin, which is the most recent addition to the gold coin collection. This specific coin rose to fame after it was discovered in Washington, Pennsylvania. When it was first minted, the coin was valued at $520, which has now spiked up to over 500%, making it a whopping $2600.
More than Coins: The Salvation Army’s Impact has raised funds to be able to provide for those in need for over 130 years with services that include:
- Clothing assistance
- School supply donations
- Food pantries and meal programs
- Alcohol and substance abuse recovery programs
- Rent, mortgage, and utility aid
These invaluable services, including those Red Kettles offers, are primarily provided through charitable contributions.
A History of Donations and Unexpected Generosity
The Red Kettle Donation tradition began some decades ago and has no set value. Anonymously, in 2019, someone from North Carolina dropped an extremely rare coin that came from Austria and was dated 1915. The denomination was an astounding 100 Corona, and this gold coin was approximately $1,500 in the market.
Evanston, Illinois, is also home to an anonymous donor who generously left behind a treasure of gold coins amounting to 40,000 dollars in will, all allocated for the Salvation Army. In a similar case, an anonymous benefactor put forth a mysterious cult of coins whose value reached 1500 dollars. All the currency was placed into a kettle, which forms the base for this story.
“It is a pleasure to receive donations from generous individuals whose faith in us keeps skyrocketing,” said Lance and Dana Walters, Salvation Army captains in Bremerton, Washington. “A look at the kettle at the end of the day creates excitement because it is always a surprise, even if it is routine.”
A Custom To Aid Out of Compassion
The campaign was first launched as part of an annual fundraising event in 1891 with Captain Joseph McFee’s initiative of providing free Christmas meals for over 1,000 economically disadvantaged families by donating to a red kettle. Inspired by a practice in Liverpool, England, McFee strung up a kettle and asked people to keep the “pot boiling.”
Red kettles have received more than they bargained for. From humble beginnings, they have expanded to global aid by receiving millions of dollars in donations. In 2023, formidable sums of $2.7 million were collected during the holiday season.
Strange Philanthropic Acts: Saving Beyond the Gold Coins
Like any other form of philanthropy, donating to a Salvation Army kettle is heartwarming. Still, the unusual and shocking donations that the Salvation Army kettle has been given, like rare gold coins, stand out the most:
- Electronics like modern-day smartphones and tablets
- Typewriter and vintage currency collectibles
- Gold bracelets and diamond rings
- Artwork, even the most unique and complex ones
- Redemption’s Spirit
The entire act of gifting gold coins embodies the kindness and compassion that still exist in this world, and it’s much more than just an economic action.
“Many people have lost hope and think that the world is full of evil and there is no love and joy. But this shows me that there is compassion left in this world.” This quote beautifully captured the sentiments of many in Washington, including Thomas Perez, who serves at the Salvation Army pier.
Whether the donation is worth a thousand dollars or the one from the benevolent soul worth a few pennies, kindness is found everywhere. This reminds us that even with the thick fog of hatred and self-loath, we can still sprinkle kindness with love, no matter where we go.
Reference
Rare gold coin worth thousands dropped into Salvation Army bucket by anonymous holiday donor
Mystery Donors Are Dropping Rare Coins Worth Thousands Into Salvation Army Kettles
Gold coin worth thousands found in Salvation Army red kettle
