Imagine the surprise when the folks at the Salvation Army opened up one of their kettles and found that Krugerrand. For many of us, the first reaction might have been: Just what th’ heck is this thing? A Canadian quarter?

But the people at the Salvation Army knew what they had. These coins, these Krugerrands, have been showing up in kettles around the country.

And they’re worth more’n a thousand bucks. Each.

Captain David Robinson, he of the Salvation Army in Conway, Ark., said this particular coin was dropped in a kettle at the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Highway 65 sometime Monday morning. And nobody-besides the dropper-knows who made the donation.

“Everybody that has talked to me about it has said, ‘Don’t sell it for any less than $1,300,’ ” says the good captain.

That’s right, thirteen hundred bucks. That’d help buy a few meals, some blankets, emergency assistance, daycare help, a cart full of warm coats, toys for kids at Christmas, a day at camp, temporary housing . . . all the things that the Salvation Army does throughout the year.

And the coin comes in especially handy just now. The icy weather over the past week has kept a lot of folks at home, and Captain Robinson says his unit of God’s Army is behind its goal.

To that secret Santa, thank you. Or, as they say at the Salvation Army, you’ve helped do The Most Good.

Editorial, Pages 18 on 12/13/2013