While you’re out buying gifts for everyone on your nice list, chances are you’ll come across a sure sign that Christmas is fast approaching: A Salvation Army bell ringer and one of their iconic red kettles. Most of us will drop in whatever spare change we can quickly dig out of our pockets as we rush by. But for some passerby, the red kettles present an opportunity to play secret Santa in the most generous ways.
Over the years, substantial red kettle donations from anonymous donors have come in many interesting forms. Here are just a few of the valuable oddities that have filled those red buckets in recent years:
Diamonds are a kettle’s best friend?
2011: A worker at a Salvation Army collection center in Shawnee, Kansas noticed a wadded-up piece of paper lying among the coins and bills. He almost threw it in the trash, but decided to open it to be safe. He was astonished to discover that a solitary diamond had been tucked inside. The identity of the generous donor was never found.
To have and to hold….
2011: An engagement ring and wedding band, along with an appraisal, were tucked inside a dollar bill and anonymously slipped into a red kettle outside a grocery store in Henderson, North Carolina. The donor was never identified.
2014: In Cambridge, Massachusetts, a widow placed her engagement ring and wedding band into a kettle with a note saying that the donation was in honor her late husband, who was a “giver.” Another widow later purchased them from the Salvation Army for $21,000 — far more than their appraised value — and returned the rings to the original donor.
A long lost treasure
2016: In Sebastian, Florida, an unidentified passerby placed a 300-year-old gold escudo directly into the hands of the bell ringer. The coin, worth several thousand dollars, had been recovered off the Florida coast from the wrecks of Spanish treasure ships known as the 1715 Plate Fleet. The donor didn’t want to drop the rare treasure into the kettle because he feared it would get mixed in with the other loose coins.
Cold hard cash
2015: A very generous donor dropped a $10,000 check into a red kettle in Jacksonville, FL.
2014: A mysterious donor dropped bundles of ten $100 bills at a time into kettles all over the Minneapolis area, totaling over $14,000.
Silver Bells (“bars”?)
2015: In Syracuse, New York, The Salvation Army received a donation that was too big to fit into a kettle – a 100-ounce silver bar valued around $1,600. The generous donor wished to remain anonymous and was never identified.
Putting their money where their mouth is
2014: Among the most unusual items found in red kettles so far, Salvation Army spokesmen in both Florida and Missouri reported receiving gold teeth in the same year. An anonymous person put four gold teeth in an Orlando kettle, while another donated a single gold tooth in Kansas City.
Worth their weight in gold
The first time a Salvation Army organization reported a gold coin donation was in 1982, when an anonymous donor dropped a Krugerrand into a red kettle north of Chicago. According to legend, the benevolent donor was a World War II veteran who wanted to give something in return for the charity’s service that he received on the front line. Today, Krugerrands and other types of gold coins show up in the Salvation Army’s red kettles all across the country each year, providing solid gold evidence that there is indeed a Santa Claus. For example:
Since 1998: In Fort Collins, Colorado, a pair of 1-ounce gold Krugerrands were slipped into red kettles by the same anonymous donor for almost two decades. The undercover giver always returned later to The Salvation Army to buy back the coins at $1,000 more than their value. Notes and poems in the same handwriting were often attached to the donations, until 2002 – when the coins were accompanied by a note stating that the decades-long secret Santa had died, but the tradition would be continued yearly by the family in his or her honor. And it hasn’t stopped since.
2018: This year, gold coins worth several thousands of dollars have already been anonymously dropped into Salvation Army kettles around the Chicago metro area, including several Gold American Eagles and Gold Krugerrands.
Which brings us to….
Our December giveaway!
We would love to hear about a unique gifting experience you’ve had during the holiday season. Tell us about a time you enjoyed playing “Santa” to put a smile on a special someone’s face, or received the perfect gift at just the right time from an anonymous giver. We may share a story or two on our Facebook page, as well!
Commenting below will serve as your entry for our December giveaway. Submit your comment (one comment only please) by December 31st, and one winner will be randomly selected on January 1st to receive an Argor-Heraeus 1 gram gold bar! Whether you decide to keep it or play secret Santa with it is up to you!
*(No Scrooges allowed! Inappropriate comments will be deleted and disqualified.)
Always drop a few old silver dollars around town. Wonder if they get saved? (Hopefully for a child’s gift!)
Does gold get delivered through chimneys?
May the Lord of us all, whom is the reason for the season, continue to instill within us all this awesome – selfless spirit of giving. And loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.
— God bless the staff @ Provident Metals, and all of your families! As well as all of us of whom are your customers, brothers and sisters who share in the appreciation of precious metals… Merry Christmas!!! – Jeff ✔. Jax, FL.
Surprising my wife with jewelery when I told we didn’t have the money because we needed a “special” car part. Merry Christmas all and have a Happy New Year!
Thank you for the opportunity, and the reminders of compassion and generosity of our fellow Americans who have done so much for those with so little.
I don’t have a good secret Santa story but I love provident government aways!
Give not government. New phone sorry
Happy holidays everyone and God bless!
Hey, today is my birthday. It would be great if I got a present from you.
I’ve collected some small amounts of gold and it’s wonderful I just love the way it looks and it’s so nice to show off and have would like to get more but I can’t afford much, I would really like to win this awesome piece of art
Was at a restaurant with my 10 year old boy having lunch ..when we ordered the waitress looked about 10 months pregnant and very tired, I told my son she shouldn’t be working obviously needs the money. I gave her a $120 tip when she saw it she cried and hugged me.
I laughed it’s not for you I said it’s for the baby!
Happy mom makes a happy baby!
Merry Christmas!
Remember we enter the world the same way we leave it poor,helpess,naked! It’s what we do in between that matters!
Thanks for the chance!
Thanks for the chance.
My husband is a veteran,,, the best Christmas gift I ever received was from Mother Nature! My husband was deployed but got to come home for Christmas since he hadn’t left the states yet. The day he was suppose to return we got a horrible snow storm, the flights were all cancelled and he got to stay an extra day home, with myself and our kids! Best Christmas gift ever! Thanks to Mother Nature!
This would make a great present!
I believe if a person can help out that it’s a moral sin not to . We always give to the shop with a cop program . This is when policemen use the donations to take a child out to purchase articles for underprivileged kids . Then we pick out a Angel on the angel tree . It’s a great program where you pick a card of a Angel from the angel tree . On the card there is information on a child . It shows what they need & gives the size for clothes & shoes with a toy they want . It’s a real feel good moment when we bring the items back so they will have a Christmas . I remember one year my daughter who was five or so heard on the news about how some kids were not going to have any toys for Christmas . She was in shock because she still believed in Santa . With her big blue eyes looking @ me she said ” I have lots of toys can I give some to them ? So we picked some out & she donated them to a shelter the news anchor mentioned . I thought to myself dang the wife & I must
have done something right . I wish all a blessed Christmas ! Peace Love & Happiness
Leon
Christmas is truly about giving.
I like to do whatever I can to help someone in need whether it be Christmas or anytime of the year. Thanks for the chance!
I love paying for the cars behind me in the drive through! It’s usually not a lot, but I always think that it’s a spark that will make someone’s day that much better!
Very nice
This is a great giveaway!
Loved reading about the charitable giving.
What a wonderful giveaway. Could be the start of a person saving gold.
There are many years where I just make ends meet, and barely get by. Every year I’m surprised with gifts and goodies from family and friends that put a smile on my face, and let’s me know I’m thought of and loved.
My favorite present ever was receiving a spiderman game for the original playstation. I still recall my uncle dressed as Santa reaching into a red bag and handing out gifts.
Giving my last ‘5 dollers to a homeless person. Nothing special just helping a poor soul in need.
The biggest gift I received was my family to be home and alive with them I’m very grateful god bless to all .
The biggest gift I received was my family to be home and alive with them I’m very grateful god bless to all
Love the gold. I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a great new year.
Someone dropped a $4 gold Stella in one near me in PA when I was in high school
Volunteering at a local food pantry to help provide for those who are less fortunate and in need.