Gold coin aids Wis. red kettle campaign

WAUKESHA, Wis., Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Salvation Army officials in Waukesha County, Wis., received an unexpected yet welcome boost when a gold coin was placed in one of their red kettles.

While the Waukesha County Salvation Army red kettle campaign had been struggling this year, the charitable effort improved when an unidentified individual donated a solid gold coin, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said Tuesday.

The coin may only have a face value of $50, but one Wisconsin dealer said it could be sold for $825 because of the rising value for gold.

The Salvation Army said that the donation to an unsupervised red kettle last Saturday could help increase donations during the holidays.

"We've got a way to go," Capt. Dan Faundez said of the group's $500,000 goal for the holiday season.

"It really is kind of like a spark."

The Journal Sentinel said the Salvation Army campaign has only received about $147,000 so far this season.