Gold coin worth $500 dropped in Salvation Army kettle

An annual tradition has continued for 18 straight years in Cape Girardeau -- somebody once again has anonymously donated a gold coin to the Salvation Army Tree of Lights campaign. A Krugerrand South African gold coin was dropped in a red kettle at Sam's Club late last week. The coin was wrapped in a dollar bill and dropped into the kettle. The Salvation Army sold the coin to a local dealer for $500. The money will go toward meeting the local Salvation Army's ambitious $307,000 Tree of Lights goal this month.

Salvation Army Major Ben Stillwell said they were getting nervous the down economy would mean no gold coins this year.

Stillwell says the local Salvation Army has collected just over $160,000 so far in its annual fundraising campaign, mostly through mail and kettle donations. They are a little behind the pace to meet their goal by Jan. 11.