Greensburg Salvation Army Capt. Ashley Luzader was sorting through the usual pile of change that had been dropped into bell ringers’ red kettles Tuesday when she found something strange — an unusually heavy coin wrapped in white paper.
“I was pulling out all the dollars, and I was thinking ‘this feels really heavy.’” she said.
She unwrapped the object to find a solid gold Canadian coin bearing the face of Queen Elizabeth.
At first Salvation Army officials wondered if the mysterious donation was too good to be true. It’s not unheard of for people to donate fake coins, Lt. Donna Hannan said.
“At first I was a little shocked, we were kind of skeptical,” Hannan said. “Is this a real coin that’s worth this much?”
It was. The 1992 coin has a face value of $50, but appraisers told Luzader and Hannan that it’s worth at least $1,700.
Hannan said they don’t know who donated the coin, or even which kettle it came from.
“They just dropped it in the kettle,” Hannan said. “We usually go through the change when we’re counting at the end of the night.”
The proceeds from the coin will go towards the Salvation Army’s programs, which include rent assistance, school supplies for children in need and community meals.
“That is that many more people that we’re able to assist throughout the year,” Luzader said. “That’s why we’re out there ringing.”
The donation comes during a difficult fundraising season for the Greensburg Salvation Army. The pandemic has made it hard to recruit bell ringers.
Even with the coin, the organization has only raised about 55% of its $80,000 goal. The Greensburg Salvation Army may be facing cuts in 2021, Luzader said.
“We’re just very grateful, and overwhelmed by the kindness of this individual,” Luzader said.
This is far from the only gold coin dropped in a red kettle this year. Similar donations have been made in communities across the country, including Illinois, Iowa, Nevada and Ohio.
