The Salvation Army in Barre, Vermont, found a gold coin worth $4,100 hidden inside a taped dollar bill dropped into a Red Kettle bucket. The anonymously donated coin arrived while the site was working toward a $55,000 fundraising goal, having reached about 30% beforehand. Chicago’s Red Kettle drive also reported a separate haul of eight gold coins, valued at more than $10,000 combined. The Red Kettle Campaign, begun in 1891, supports local communities and millions of people nationwide year-round.
Mysterious Donor Leaves $4,100 Gold Coin in Salvation Army Red Kettle — A Big Boost to Barre's Fundraiser
A donation is made into a Salvation Army bell ringer's red donation kettle.
A Salvation Army collection bucket in Barre, Vermont, produced an unexpected holiday surprise when staff discovered a gold coin hidden inside a taped dollar bill dropped into a Red Kettle. Barre sits about six miles from the state capital, Montpelier.
The anonymously donated coin was taken to be professionally appraised and was found to be worth $4,100, NBC5 News reports. Salvation Army Barre Corps Lt. Caitlin Lyle-DeLong said the gift was deeply appreciated and would directly support local needs.
A Salvation Army band plays in the snow in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.
"We are sincerely grateful for this generous contribution," Lt. Lyle-DeLong told Fox News Digital. "All donations assist individuals and families in our community by helping them cover essential needs such as heating, housing and nutritious meals."
The gift arrived as the Barre location pursues a $55,000 fundraising goal for its Red Kettle Campaign. Before the coin was discovered, the site had reached roughly 30% of that target; staff said the unexpected donation provided a welcome boost to their efforts.
Elsewhere this season, Chicago’s Salvation Army reported receiving eight gold coins as part of its Red Kettle drive. The Chicago Sun-Times estimated the combined value of those coins could exceed $10,000.
About the Red Kettle Campaign
Founded in 1891, the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign runs each year from November through Christmas Eve. Volunteers place the organization’s familiar red buckets outside thousands of storefronts nationwide; funds raised at Christmastime support local homeless and needy families and help the charity deliver services to more than 27 million people throughout the year.
