Charity auctioning off coins

PEORIA, Ill. -- Salvation Army officials are accepting bids on four rare South African gold coins found mixed among the pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters dropped into collection kettles during the holidays.

The 1978 Krugerrand coins -- worth $283 each -- turned up among donations shortly before Christmas. The Salvation Army in Peoria is accepting telephone bids through Jan. 21.

The Krugerrand became one of the most successful bullion coins in history in the early 1970s, a period when it was illegal for U.S. citizens to own them.

"I've never owned one, but I feel kind of lucky just to see one," said Salvation Army Capt. Scott Shelbourn.

The tradition of dropping rare coins in collection kettles began in Chicago and moved into central Illinois in the late 1980s, said Salvation Army spokesman Rich Draeger. Someone dropped two Krugerrands into a Salvation Army kettle in Peoria last year.

The holiday Tree of Lights Campaign has raised about $717,000 this year, about 5 percent more than last year.

"We were geared up for a tough year, but we were pleasantly surprised," Draeger said.

Organization officials see the four coins collected this year as additional proof that people have been willing to dig deeper since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.