South Florida donor drops 1-ounce gold South African Krugerrand into Salvation Army kettle

ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Finding gold coins in a Salvation Army kettle during the holiday season is not rare, but this gold piece certainly was unusual.

A donor at a South Florida kettle dropped in a 1-ounce gold Krugerrand from South Africa on Friday, TCPalm reported.

Because the coin contains an ounce of gold, it is worth nearly $1,500, according to gold exchanges worldwide.

With six fewer bell-ringing days than last year, The Salvation Army in Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties is struggling to meet its Christmas fundraising goal.

Salvation Army spokesman Lt. Jeff Marquis said it was not unusual to see foreign currency in the kettles, but conceded it was the first time he had seen this particular coin.

"We’re very blessed and very happy to be the recipient of that,” Marquis told TCPalm.

Marquis said there is no way to know what location the coin came from, because buckets are filtered through a coin machine at the same time. The identity of the gold-giver also remains a mystery, he said.

“More often than not, they’ll wrap a dollar bill around it to disguise it, so people on the outside don’t know they’re putting in something of higher value,” Marquis told TCPalm. “So it’s truly an anonymous, special surprise.”

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