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.)
We donate every year to our local food pantry. That way our donations go directly to our neighbors and the people we see every day.
I attempted to donate a 2008 Kookaburra to a local Salvation Army bell ringer but it wouldn’t fit in the top! I’m going to instead just sell it on the market and then donate the proceeds to the kettle..
I need provident metals to play Santa for me this year! I’ve been wanting to invest in gold but only have been able to get in on silver to this point! Come on Chris Kringle!!!
I enjoy giving silver as a present.
We get gifts through my work department for in-need or financially challenged families. We “adopt” a new family each Christmas.
It feels good knowing that their family will be able to wake up on Christmas morning with lots of gifts under the tree for the kids and they can celebrate and love the season without having to stress.
My whole family wakes up Christmas Day and go feed the homeless and needy every year at our church
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!!
After a summer with health challenges and having twin sons born to us all in the same year, we had fallen behind in paying bills. Then one day we get a cashier’s check from an anonymous donor for $5000.00 . Needless to say, the tears came after realizing that it was for real. After gathering the family and thanking God for providing for us, we were able to pay all outstanding bills, with a little left over. It was overwhelming to think that someone cared that much!
I used to go to King Kullen a family owned Supemarket Chain in NY for my coffee during lunch everyday when I worked and would drop in a dollar or two in the kettle every day . I made friends with the Salvation Army man he always thanked people no matter if it was just a small handful of change or a 20 dollar bill He let people know that every cent counted . Kind of reminds me of the story Jesus told about the old lady who put in the Widows mite which is probably equal in value to our penny today . While all the rich people were proud about there donations Jesus said she gave all she had and would be rewarded in Heaven .
We anyway I want to thank that Salvation army guy and King Kullen which supports all different kinds of groups Boy Scouts , Girl Scouts , veterans , Salvation Army , food drives and so much more .
I have purchased silver, gold, copper and platinum for Christmas gifts this year. I can’t wait to see the hoot and holler I get when they open up there gifts.
My wife and I donate money to our local gas company to keep heat on it elderly peoples homes who can’t afford to buy it.
My wife and I own a Glow In The Dark Star Mural Business and a few years ago we decided to donate our work to a charitable cause for handicap children.
We put an add online locally and put in the details to have families email us their story and why we should pick their child then chose 2 different families to donate our work too.
We ended up donating our work to a young boy who had severe MS and was confined to a wheel chair. The other family had 3 children with Autism.
Needless to say this was an act of Love that filled our hearts and the hearts of those families we did this for.
We will always love and cherish the memories of seeing so much joy on those kids faces as they saw our glow in the dark star mural art on their bedroom ceilings.
It was simply amazing!!!
Best gift ever gave was a free home cooked meal
Best gift ever received was my first bicycle
I have enjoyed giving in our annual cousin gift exchange.
I have been trying to discern the circumstances of people begging on the street for years. I like to give to individuals as much as I can versus organizations. A couple years ago I had saved up about $400 in cash and had it in my work truck when I was on my way home one day and saw a dirty young women who looked like she hadn’t showered in months wearing extremely tattered clothes standing on a highway exit with a sign. I pulled up to her and said “I have an opportunity for you.” She asked what it was and I handed her the wad of cash and drove away. I saw her face when she saw that the bills were 20’s and I think I teared up a bit.
Work in a charity kitchen does wonders for yourself and other.
Work in a charity kitchen does wonders for others and your humility during this cold, joyous season of gratitude.
When I started to learn the value of precious metals, I decided one Christmas to buy and give an ounce of silver to all four of my step-siblings from afar since we wouldn’t be together that year. I made sure each design was tailored to an interest of theirs. In the end, I never heard from any of them, no thanks came from them, and none of them sent me a gift that year either. I suppose I was like Santa that year, giving and not meant to receive.
My favorite christmas gift was when I won 1 gram of gold from the Provident’s giveaway 🙂
Merry Christmas…Happy New Year
Unfortunately I can’t really afford to give away gold, but every year I give away a few ounces of silver anonymously to good causes. I hope one day I’ll be able to give away Krugerrands like the very generous people in these stories.
I donate time. For 2 months now I help out at our city’s soup kitchen. It puts a new perspective on things. I don’t see a reason to stop after the holidays. Cheers
I donate to animal shelters to help sick and injured dogs and cats
I hope everyone has a great holiday season and may all your dreams come true.
Would love to win a gold bar of any size! I’ve been good this year. I promise.
Every year my work group takes up donations for a local DFACs. We raised $1300 this year. Merry Christmas everyone!
Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas hope I win
If I had the money I would donate more. I do let my kids put in my change if I have any.
This year we adopted two families with kids with special needs who is too old for the Angel Tree program. I don’t understand only one time a year to have the Christmas spirit. Doing acts through out the year is what it’s about.