Anonymous man drops rare coin in kettle

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla., Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Someone in southwest Florida dropped a gold coin worth $1,700 in a Salvation Army red kettle bucket in memory of someone named Mimi, officials said.

For the past eight years, someone, likely the same person, has dropped a rare coin into random Salvation Army kettles, WBBH-TV, Fort Myers, Fla., reported.

The coins are always accompanied by a handwritten note that reads: "In loving memory of Mimi."

This year, Sherman Scott was working the kettle outside the Lehigh Acres Walmart when the coin was dropped off.

"I can recall a guy. I thought it was a check he was putting into my bucket," said Scott.

The coin that was given this year was a gold coin dated 1907 and valued at $1,700.

The Salvation Army believes they're coming from the same person.

"We would love to know who it is," said Sarah Clark, with the Salvation Army. "If the person would ever want to contact us and sit down, I'm sure we'd love to hear stories about Mimi. We all feel like we know her."

Scott described the man as a "white male, in his 40s, 5'7-5'8, red hair."

"I hope he comes back. I'll be watching out," Scott said.