Every year, after Thanksgiving, it seems that the Salvation Army’s Red Kettles seem to sprout like weeds on the landscape. Their bell ringers can be seen in almost every city, town, and hamlet in the United States. It is a tradition that the Salvation Army has been doing since 1891 to raise money for their programs.
Every year, it seems that someone anonymously drops something of great value into a kettle. Reports of large amounts of currency, rare and gold coins, and expensive jewelry seem to generate nice public interest news reports. This year was no different when it was reported that a 1908 Indian Head quarter eagle gold coin was retrieved from a red kettle that was located at the Berlin Mall in Vermont.
Depending on the condition, the coin can be worth up to $14,000.
It was reported that more than 300 gold coins have been found in red kettles primarily in the Chicago area, a tradition that started in 1982. Gold coins have been found in a dozen states over the years with the previous one being found in Connecticut. This is the first time that a gold coin was found in a red kettle in Vermont.