# Gold/Valuable Coins In Salvation Army Kettles **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 13, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276 "2013-12-13T23:23:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/1 "2013-12-13T23:23:08Z")
I put this in Great Debates, but I’m not sure if that is the right place. Anonymous placement of gold coins or otherwise valuable coins in the Salvation Army kettles is announced, like clockwork (calendarwork?), every year. I’m calling bullshit. I say the S.A. does this themselves, if it actually happens at all. The story is reported like a miracle just happened, and there is also a mention that the S.A. is falling short of it’s goal. Every year. Am I just a skeptical jerk? Could this _possibly_ be something that happens every year? Is it an obvious fib that the masses agree to overlook, because it’s harmless and it’s the holidays? I don’t like it; I’m calling it bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/2 "2013-12-14T08:27:17Z")
Here’s why I think it’s real… it happens in the same cities year after year, implying that it’s the same people doing the dropping. [http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/gold-coin-found-ind-salvation-army-kettle-21202222](http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/gold-coin-found-ind-salvation-army-kettle-21202222) ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/3 "2013-12-14T13:13:18Z")
Could it be a marketing scam to gain publicity and perhaps encourage other people to do likewise? I find it unlikely to be a scam however because I have experienced such giving people, some who like to give anonymously. There is no reason not to expect this to happen to the SA as well - due to their reach. Once reported, and the giver sees the joy it brings, even to the bell ringer who doesn’t get any of it, there is a very good feeling about it that encourages more giving. Your suggestion speaks of a humanity I do not know, en mass people are generally willing to help in the way they can. I find the greatest block on giving is lack of receiving in joy. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/4 "2013-12-16T18:38:43Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Could this _possibly_ be something that happens every year? Why couldn’t it? This year, it’s a $1200 gift. Last year, it was a $1600 gift. People make gifts of that size all the time. Sure, they don’t get to deduct it on their taxes, but that just makes the gift the equivalent of giving $1700-2300, which is also not all that rare. Does the Salvation Army approach their major donors and suggest this be something they do? Maybe, it’s entirely possible. But as a fundraiser, I can say that it’s far more likely that a major donor enjoys seeing the results of such a donation (increased media attention, copycat donors, attention for the SA, not to mention the actual benefit of that money for the SA’s mission) than for the Salvation Army to risk destroying all public good will by faking it. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/5 "2013-12-16T20:30:38Z")
There is something to be said for anonymous gifts: if gifts are not anonymous you get put on mailing lists to get you to contribute more money. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/6 "2013-12-16T20:36:24Z")
I imagine there is also be a thrill of being publicly acknowledged yet anonymous at the same time. While the news papers would all be saying, “who was that mystery man who donated the gold coin”, you would know that they were talking about you. Its like being batman without having to get beat up all the time. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/7 "2013-12-16T20:43:13Z")
The second-highest of [Maimonides’ Eight Levels of Charity](http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/45907/jewish/Eight-Levels-of-Charity.htm): > [@](#): > > [2] A lesser level of charity than this is to give to the poor without knowing to whom one gives, and without the recipient knowing from who he received. For this is performing a mitzvah solely for the sake of Heaven. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/8 "2013-12-17T00:56:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The second-highest of [Maimonides’ Eight Levels of Charity](http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/45907/jewish/Eight-Levels-of-Charity.htm): And that is noble indeed. I believe in that, and abide by it. I suppose what I’m getting at is that this one specific instance…it stinks. It’s fishy and it stinks to high hell. I can’t explain my cynicism with this. My head will lie to me, but my gut will not. I simply don’t believe for a second that this is an instance of charity. ( I admit that it’s _possible_ ) This coin thing is marketing. Cite? Please don’t make me post a picture of my gut! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/9 "2013-12-17T01:26:21Z")
The Salvation Army has a number of deplorable practices, but at the heart of it, they’re doing what they truly believe in. I’ve worked with the Army on a few different occasions in a consulting capacity, and I believe them to be about the most honest people I’ve encountered. You may infer something fishy, but as a fundraiser I just see something that donors have latched onto. Combine that with the Christmas season when people give at their greatest levels, with an organization that pretty much designs its entire fundraising season around Christmas, and I think we just have something that’s naturally gone viral. Just consider the other side of it - how much would their reputation plummet if this turned out to be fake? ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/10 "2013-12-17T01:41:07Z")
I am pretty cynical, but i think it is real. Some people get a lot of joy out of giving. It’s kinda a fun thing to do. My only worry is that someone (from the SA) would see a $50 gold eagle (which is technically legal tender) - not realize its value - and deposit it. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-valuable-coins-in-salvation-army-kettles/676276/11 "2013-12-17T01:49:19Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > And that is noble indeed. I believe in that, and abide by it. > I suppose what I’m getting at is that this one specific instance…it stinks. > It’s fishy and it stinks to high hell. I can’t explain my cynicism with this. My head will > lie to me, but my gut will not. I simply don’t believe for a second that this is an instance of charity. ( I admit that it’s _possible_ ) This coin thing is marketing. > Cite? Please don’t make me post a picture of my gut! Since you started the thread, and have not even a shread of proof, I can say that it’s true. It’s up to you to provide proof why it isn’t.