Christmas is looking a little merrier for the Metro Atlanta Salvation Army.
Someone dropped a Canadian gold leaf coin worth $1,200 into a Red Kettle at the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, 967 Dewey St SW.
The timing couldn’t be better.
The nonprofit is currently facing a $220,000 shortfall in kettle donations as well as fewer volunteers.
Spokeswoman Nichole Bazemore said there is a cup for foreign coins and other items found in the kettles. Lt. Bethany Yocum at first didn’t think the coin had any value, but something told her to take a second look.
“If we get foreign coins that don’t fit in the counting machine or if we notice it as we’re sorting money, it gets set aside,” said Yocum.
She happened to spot the coin. It was larger than the other coins. It was gold and shiny. On the front of the coin were the words Canadian and 50 dollars . On the back were the words “fine gold 1 oz pur.”
First, she Googled it. Then she called area coin dealers who said it was worth between $1,200 and $1,260.
A few years ago, workers at that same location found another gold coin that was worth about $1,700, she said.
You never what you’ll get in a Red Kettle. Yocum said she’s heard workers have found rings, gold teeth and other foreign coins.
Does she think it was accidently or deliberately tossed in the kettle?
“My hope and thought is that they definitely knew what they were doing,” she said. “With the season and the heart of people, I hope they just had the desire to give and to bless others. I believe this was an act of the Christmas spirit of hope and love.”
Yocum said that location is about $85,000 short its goal.
