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It was coal I pinched from the Flying Scotsman locomotive when it visited Australia in '88 and my brother was born in '83 so he was at least 5, possibly 6 or 7. I put it in his stocking and he cried. If I remember correctly my parents knew and let me do it. They must have thought it was funny but it seems pretty cruel of me. I would have been 10yo tops.
Coal is a valuable commodity. If he kept it, especially under a lot of pressure, it could be worth something.
I gave a bully step-brother a mouldy house brick for xmas, beautifully wrapped. He didn't appreciate the art and it turned out not to be a Nobel prize winner of an idea.
However, I am a geologist and would love a nice coal specimen for xmas.
Whatever your intentions were when you were 10 is irrelevant. Your parents were pretty ferking dopey (at the time).
Technically coal doesnt turn into anything under pressure. Many ppl think it turns to diamond if pressurized, but thts not the case. i am a certified physicist with a phd in biophysics, astrophysics and mechanics and also have a degree in biology and microbiology. Coal if pressurized beyond the max of about 2.8 tons turns to dust. If treated with the right chemicals it could be an essential component in the process of making a diamond. And thts funny! :D
You were a kid who was having fun, but yes, it does seem rather cruel. Just think, if he hadn't been taught to believe in santa, would he have still cried when finding a lump of coal in his sock?