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Golden moment while counting Salvation Army kettle receipts

A gold U.S. American eagle coin, with a face value of $50. (Provided Photo/Salvation Army of Central Indiana)

PLAINFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — A gold coin worth about $2,000 was found while counting receipts last week from the Salvation Army’s annual holiday campaign in central Indiana.

The Protestant Christian church and international charitable organization announced Monday that the gold U.S. American eagle coin, with a face value of $50, was put into a red kettle collection location outside the Walmart store on East Main Street in Plainfield. The coin contains 1 troy ounce of gold.

The highest price ever for gold on the U.S. market was reached Dec. 4: $2,148.78 per troy ounce. That price was around $1,980 on Monday.

The coin will support programs and ministries at the Salvation Army Eagle Creek Community Center based on the northwest side of Indianapolis. It serves western Indianapolis and adjoining Hendricks County, where Plainfield is located.

A news release added, “This isn’t the first time valuable coins have been donated to The Salvation Army of Central Indiana. Five coins made of silver, gold and platinum were dropped into Central Indiana Red Kettles last year. The coins had a total value of $1,800.”

This holiday season, the central Indiana effort known for its volunteer bell ringers next to the red kettles hopes to raise $3.8 million.