The Salvation Army got an early Christmas gift this year.
The charity organization received 10 gold coins worth more than $4,680, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The coins were gifted wrapped and placed in Salvation Army kettles at multiple stores: a Red Top Jewel in Libertyville, Hobby Lobby in Mundelein, Round Lake Beach Wal-Mart, and the Hunt Club Jewel in Gurnee earlier this month.
Included in the rare gold were seven Swiss gold francs, two Canadian Maple Leafs and one American Eagle.
The coins, given by anonymous donors, include a hand-written note addressed to Salvation Army Commissioners William and Nancy Roberts with this message: "Thank you for all that you do continuously to minister to, and do for, the least of these brothers of mine. What an inspiration you are to us all."
Capt. William Holman of the Salvation Army Waukegan Corps called the coins "a wonderful gift" that will "go a long way to help the people we serve."
The Salvation Army has received more than 400 gold coins in the past 25 years from anonymous donors.
