‘Incredible donation’: Coin valued at over $1,300 placed in Salvation Army red kettle

PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) – Salvation Army volunteers in Arizona found a big surprise at the bottom of a red kettle this holiday season.

The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center Phoenix said that one of its signature red kettles received a donation of a half-ounce Gold American Eagle coin.

While the face value of the coin is $25, staff had it appraised and sold it for a whopping $1,310.

The anonymous donor left a message with the coin, writing, “May this gold help the people in need during the Christmas season. Bless you all.”

“We witness extraordinary acts of kindness and giving year-round, and this incredible donation is certainly no exception,” Capt. Dustin Rowe, Kroc Center Corps Officer, said in a statement. “We want to thank this generous donor from the bottom of our hearts.”

While the Red Kettle campaign is winding down for the end of the holidays, you can support the Salvation Army year-round through donations and volunteering.

Staff says this year’s Red Kettle donations are down 18% compared to last year.