Krugerrand
The South African Gold Krugerrand. No gold bullion coin in the world has a richer history than the South African Gold Krugerrand. While gold investment-grade coins are now, seemingly, a dime-a-dozen for buyers, there was a time when the Gold Krugerrand.
Like clockwork, a mystery donor dropped a gold Krugerrand coin into a Midtown Salvation Army kettle this week, continuing a 22-year Fort Collins tradition.
The coin — a South African Krugerrand currently valued around $1,900 — was found Monday in the red kettle outside Hobby Lobby, 4106 S. College Ave., according to The Salvation Army.
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- Krugerrand 1 oz Price: Get all information on the Price of Krugerrand 1 oz including News, Charts and Realtime Quotes.
- The South African Gold Krugerrand Coin was first released by the South African Mint in 1967 with the intention of promoting South African gold to international markets and making private ownership of gold a possibility for individuals.
And for the first time in 15 years, this season's Krugerrand coin came wrapped in a message.
“Farewell 2020, it’s been quite the year. / Filled with elections, Covid, hatred and fear,' the message read. 'For it’s in the low times we learn the most, / Otherwise, we wouldn’t have good times to toast! / So, thank you for family, health and friends. / Thank you for a community that rises to defend. / Thank you for giving us a year to slow down. / May we remember all we found. / Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”
© The Salvation Army Salvation Army bell ringer Robert Thompson holds out the gold Krugerrand coin left in his red kettle Monday. Thompson, a favorite bell ringer of the mysterious coin donor, has been the tradition's lucky recipient five of the last six years.This marks the third year in a row a Krugerrand coin has been left in the kettle at Fort Collins' Hobby Lobby. It's the fifth time in the past six years that Salvation Army bell ringer Robert Thompson has been the tradition's lucky recipient, according to Coloradoan archives.
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Earlier this month, on Dec. 5, a Krugerrand coin was found wrapped in a message in a red kettle outside a Highlands Ranch King Soopers. The anonymous Highlands Ranch donor has been dropping Krugerrand coins off in the area for several years, but given the differences in location, donation time and the content of each message, the Salvation Army doesn't believe both coins were dropped off by the same person, the charity's Special Events Director Rachael Fowler said.
News of the two Krugerrand donations continuing this year comes as The Salvation Army wraps up its red kettle campaign. In Colorado, the organization hoped to bring in the $300,000 necessary to reach its $2.2 million donation goal by the evening of Christmas Eve, a new release from the charity said.
The 1-ounce gold coin is currently valued at $1,875, according to Fort Collins coin shop Corner Coins & Jewelry.
Fort Collins' Krugerrand tradition began in 1998, when an anonymous donor dropped off one of the valuable South African gold coins in a local red kettle in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Since then — with the exception of 2001 — at least one Krugerrand has been donated in the city each year through the annual Salvation Army fundraising campaign.
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In 2000, the Krugerrand coin was found with a note that read, 'Down but not out. Merry Christmas.' In 2003 and 2005, short Christmas poems were found with the coins, according to the Coloradoan archives.
Over the years, an anonymous man has also occasionally come to the Fort Collins Salvation Army to purchase that season's coin back, Salvation Army Capt. Isaias Braga told the Coloradoan in 2018.
No donor has purchased the Krugerrands back since 2015, Fowler said.
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“We are so grateful for these ‘Secret Santas’ who continue to bless us year after year,” Salvation Army Intermountain Divisional Commander Major Mike Dickinson said in the news release about both Colorado Krugerrand donations.
“While the donors are still unknown, what is clear is the impact this person has on our Red Kettle Campaign. They exemplify the spirit of Christmas and allow us to continue providing services in Colorado.”
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Erin Udell reports on news, culture, history and more for the Coloradoan. Contact her at ErinUdell@coloradoan.com. The only way she can keep doing what she does is with your support. If you subscribe, thank you. If not, sign up for a digital subscription to the Coloradoan today.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins Krugerrand coin tradition continues, this time with a special 2020 message