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.)
I was a youth pastor I was given a family of three little girls and there mom and dad that where out of work I asked all your youth kids at church to bring in pocket change money for two weeks and at the end of two weeks of that we prayed over the donation. So on the third week we went shopping for the family. It was so nice and amazing to pull up to the house and drop off the gifts
(Giving) to people in need through the Red Kettle program is fulfilling, and nearly all the proceeds are used to help real people in need, and are not spent to pay executive wages. (Non Profit). So, give often and feel good.
A few years ago I was personally looking for a new cologne to replace my old one. And a couple weeks later I got a delivery box with a very nice and expensive cologne. No other information in terms of a shipping slip or anything. Until this day I have no clue who sent it but it was incredibly nice to get something that had no sense or inkling of reciprocating at all.
Happy holidays and pay it forward!
Many years ago I lived in the same building as a very famous Minnesota Viking player. he signed two Vikings T-shirts for my nephews. they were more than exited when they opened their gifts. I also gave them each silver dollars from that year.
Merry Christmas
My two brothers and I were fortunate to be brought up by our then single Mom and our grandparents. Being raised in an Italian family means meal time was always special. I grew up and went to a culinary school and graduated and getting a Culinary Arts degree. Doesn’t make you an instant chef. I could handle my self in a Kitchen. I wanted to do something for the family. So decided to cook Christmas Dinner. My tomato sauce was not as good as my grandma’s. It was ok. The smiles on everyone’s faces was enough to send tingles up and down my body all through dinner and dessert. I credit that feeling to Christmas Spirit. I was able to give and not have to wrap it. John
And is this giveaway really happening I hope so I have received a generous helping hand when I really need the extra cash / help my landlord gave me the months rent for free to help me out
This is so awesome it warms me knowing that there are still generous people out there that truly love to help
Love you guys at Provident metals. Who ever writes your email promos is very clever in their word choices and movie quotes. Keep up the good work YOU do and have a merry Christmas!!
Provident metals has allowed us over time for the smallest investment, save for my children’s college . With very small, weekly investments with some of the smallest premiums in the industry. I have been able to steadily save enough to put them through college. Without the free shipping options and small premiums I would not have been able to have grown our investments nearly as quickly or effortlessly. Thank you Peovident for helping us achieve our family’s dreams.
Hello my story is part of me growing ive always felt empty inside and l was looking for purpose …..so I decided to use my life and body to save others…… I joined a foundation called be the match…… I’m currently in the process of donating blood plasma and bone marrow to help save a random person’s life……I might not find the happiness I was looking for but helping someone else might bring happiness to them …….. thanks
Every year, we pick the main gifts for our children and try to do a fun scavenger hunt. As they get older we have to get more and more creative. One caveat though, is that they in turn have to do something nice for a less fortunate family. We try to instill the values that make this season all the more merry.
In 1986 i heard of a family in my county whose son had cancer but no transportation, so I got a 1976 olds cutlass (I’d bought intending to make a street racer) road ready and gave it to them. in 2001 my home burned leaving me no place to live. Two weeks later an older model but useable camper showed up in my driveway with a note tied to the door that just said karma. The family I’d given the car to denied leaving the camper, but one way or the other I believe they are responsible for my having a place to live while i rebuilt my home.
It never occurred to me that individuals would give in alternative ways (means) like this! That’s great!
The year I got the NES from “santa” was also the year I saw my dad leaving the box by the fireplace, So, on the plus side, I started my relationship with videogames that would culminate in me becoming a game developer, but on the negative side, my childhood’s belief in Santa Claus ended; I was old enough anyway!
The only story I have about playing Santa was when I was in my mid-20s, and borrowed a Santa outfit from a friend, and stopped by a couple of friends houses who had young children. They enjoyed the visit, but I wasn’t financially in a place to be able to give them any presents.
I always give some gifts to those less fortune than my wife and I. We have been married now 53 years and we are both young 73 year old’s. This year I am giving gifts to the young Spanish family who live next door to me as they suddenly lost their 32 year old husband and father in a work accident, so they need a little cheer this Christmas season. Also there is a Pastor and his family that live across the street from us, they have six beautiful children but, with that big of a family they cannot afford all the luxuries for their 6 kids for Christmas, so we are making sure they all get Christmas gifts from us. In passed years I given a lot to the homeless. I used to go to Santa Monica in California at midnight Christmas eve and look for the homeless and down trodden and cheer their night and morning up by giving out $20 bills to many of Gods forgotten people. Being from the United Kingdom, emigrated here with my wife and two kids who were 9 years and 12 years in April 1980, and now have 4 wonderful grandchildren all in their twenties. My wife and I have been blessed by my Lord Jesus Christ and my God with many, many gifts, not just financial but beautiful friendships that we treasure.
1 g gold on card is a gift!
Pick me !!!!
A poor family was living in poverty all their lives. The father was just a part time welder while the mother was unemployed and was just taking care of the kids at home. I decided to give the father his own electric welder so he could have work regularly. True enough, their lives changed for the better as they now have a steady flow of income coming from welding contracts of the father. I did not give them a fish to eat but a boat and a net so they could fish everyday. Merry Christmas to All!!
Nothing really unique about my giving experience. I feel very fortunate in my life and give every opportunity I can. Volunteer Fire Dept, Police, ASPCA, Cancer Society, local charities, schools, neighbor kids, Goodwill, Vets, Salvation Army, food banks and anyone else I run into that I think I can trust. I had a wonderful childhood with great holiday memories so providing Thanksgiving and Christmas to a family in financial need is on of my favorite things to do. I don’t feel I give or do more than anyone else but get satisfaction in the hope I am making even a small difference for someone who needs it.
Merry Christmas!
I want to wish everyone a wonderful gorgeous Christmas and remember what it’s really about
My mother has always put money in those iconic red kettles and has never said how much. She also does the angel tree. When I was young the angel tree gave us many Christmas’s. One Christmas my friend couldn’t buy for his 3 children. So she was there angel tree that year. Merry Christmas to all.
How about a story I heard on the radio, an woman called to tell about her favorite Xmas around 1924/25 about 40 miles from Denver.
It was Christmas Eve and she was about 5 yes old living on a farm.
About 8 pm , in the pouring rain her father dressed up the Horses and hitched up the wagon … That’s right the wagon 40 miles in the rain.
She waved as he left wondering what was so important that he had to go at a time like this.
In the morning she saw her father had returned
From his journey and found 2 apples , 2 oranges,
2 walnuts , 2 chestnuts and a Candie cane in her Christmas stocking…
Think about how much that father loved his family and she felt that the rest of her life.
I love Gooooooold (said in the vouce of ”Goldmember”)
My best experience has been giving to someone who needed it more than I did. I was given a basketball as a random gift at our local church and noticed a little boy who kept staring at the ball. I handed it to him wished him a merry Christmas and walked away.
Donating to the red kettle every year is a very thoughtful thing for people to do in they should do it more often no matter how big or small the donation is it is worth it
I received an anonymous care package while deployed in Afghanistan. It arrived the day after Christmas because I was in a very outlying area. But nothing beats fresh socks, candy, and drink mixes when you’re that far out in the middle of no where.
We have a tradition in our household where Santa always hangs little stockings on the tree containing 1 ounce of silver for each family member. It’s a great way to teach and keep the kids excited about real, physical wealth.
Christmas is a time for giving. merry Christmas to all..