Knoxville, TN (December 7, 2009) A gold coin turned up last week in one of The Salvation Army’s famous Red Kettles.  The coin, minted in 1998, is ¼ ounce of gold and is valued in the neighborhood of $300.

The organization can not say for sure which kettle it came from, but an anonymous donor from the Farragut area did call to see if the coin had been found.  

 “We didn’t notice it at first,” said Jonathan Haskell, Community Relations Director for The Salvation Army in Knoxville. “As we were sorting through donations, a volunteer recognized that it was not a normal U.S. coin and set it aside.  It wasn’t until later that we realized what we had.” 

Similar coins have turned up in Salvation Army kettles this year in Indiana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois and Iowa.   

“It’s a blessing,” said Area Commander, Major Don Vick.  “The average gift to the kettles is about 47 cents, so when someone donates one coin of such value, it’s a real encouragement to us and a boost to the campaign.” 

The Salvation Army hopes to raise $400,000 this year through the Red Kettles.  That money will not only fund the organization’s famous Christmas charities, but will also support local programs and services all year round. 

For more information, call 525-9401. 

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About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 129 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.