Ancient Coin Is Dropped in Salvation Army Kettle

The Salvation Army is celebrating after rare gold coins were dropped in bell ringers' kettles in three states. A one-ounce 1978 South Africa Krugerrand coin worth $1,600 was found wrapped in a $2 bill following a round of collecting at Casey's Foods in Naperville, Ill., on Tuesday, reports NBC Chicago and the Chicago Tribune. Capt. Rich Forney of the Salvation Army Aurora Corps says the single anonymous gift will help four families with rent. This comes shortly after James Bond—yes, that's his real name—found a 1915 100 Corona Austrian coin worth $1,500 in his kettle outside of a Walgreens in Noblesville, Ind.

"It is really cool," Bond says, per the Indianapolis Star. "I hear about that stuff in the news, but now it's with me, so I feel like I'm part of this big thing that people really care about." Sam Hyde of the Salvation Army in central Indiana says it's been a challenging year for fundraising because of the shortened period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so "it just means so much." Money raised in that campaign will help fund two community centers, a homeless shelter, an addiction treatment center, and food pantries. A third stunning gift: the donation of a Thracian Kings Greek coin that's more than 2,000 years old in Tampa, Fla., Capt. Andy Miller tells WFLA. Found in a kettle a week ago, it's thought to be worth some $2,000. (More Salvation Army stories.)