Coins DIG

The “plunk” was as ordinary as the thousands of other sounds made by coins being dropped into the trademark red kettles.

What those counting the generous donations made Tuesday to The Salvation Army in Jacksonville found something anything but ordinary.

There, amid the dimes, quarters and dollar bills, was a folded piece of paper with the inscription: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

The mystery wasn't over.

Inside the paper with the Christmas message from Isaiah 9:6 was a dollar bill.

The neatly folded bill contained a half-ounce solid gold coin, worth more than $600.

“I've been a Salvation Army officer for about 10 years and this is only the second one I've seen,” Capt. Amos Shiels said Wednesday.

This is the fourth Christmas that Shiels and his wife, Cynthia, have been in Jacksonville and the first gold coin he has seen here.

The uncirculated American Eagle gold piece was dropped anonymously in a red kettle outside Shopko on Morton Avenue. The kettles are used to collect donations to The Salvation Army's Season of Hope campaign, its largest fund raiser.

The goal for this year's campaign in Jacksonville is $78,000. As of Wednesday, $37,900 had been raised.

Donations can be sent to The Salvation Army, taken to any of its red kettle sites, sent to the Journal-Courier, 235 W. State St., Jacksonville, IL 62650 or dropped off at the newspaper offices during normal business hours. Online donations are accepted by going to give.salvationarmyusa.org/goto/myjournalcourier.com (tinyurl.com/jcredkettle).

Source: myjournalcourier.com