Thursday, 29th November 2007 (2722 views)

A mysterious donor of gold coins to the Salvation Army in Belleville, Illinois may be supporting the charity Christmas campaign in memory of a loved one, workers at the local organisation told the Belleville New Democrat.

Following US Thanksgiving celebrations last week, two gold coins – a 2007 one-ounce $50 Canadian Maple Leaf and a 2007 half-ounce $25 American Eagle – were dropped into Salvation Army red kettles at two separate locations in the municipality, each wrapped in paper money.

It is estimated that the Canadian coin could be worth more than $850 (£411), with the American Eagle gold coin valued at about half of that.

According to the Belleville Salvation Army's Captain Dale Rodgers, the organisation suspects at least one donor to have contributed gold coins to the charity initiative in previous years, possibly in memory of his late wife.

However, Captain Rodgers admitted there is no proof that the two gold coins were donated by the same person.

Earlier this week, a gold coin donation was reported in a Salvation Army kettle in Omaha, Nebraska.

According to Nebraska's ABC news affiliate, NTV, in large cities such as Chicago, the Salvation Army has recorded donations of more than 300 gold coins over the past 25 years.

 

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