It's an article of clothing that would break a PETA member's heart in a million places, but Helen's leopard print coat holds a great deal of sentimental value for her and Don—this tacky-tastic robe actually what brought them together in the first place.

We learn its origin story in the film's first flashback. Don and Helen had gone to an opera separately, but met by chance after their coat check numbers got mixed up. Their relationship began immediately—Don must have a thing for animal print.

Given this, we can see why Helen is furious that Don sells it at a pawn shop. It's bad enough that he's stealing her stuff for booze money, but it's made so much worse by the fact that he choose that coat of all thing, symbolically rejecting her love once and for all.

Check out this interaction:

HELEN: It had to be that coat.

DON: The one that brought us together? Stop being sentimental.

HELEN: Oh, I have, Don, I assure you. It's finished. It's dead.

Ugh. Poor choice of words, Helen—as we learn, Don's actually selling the coat so he can buy a gun and kill himself. That certainly changes our understanding of the incident, but it still leaves one key question still unanswered—why does Don take Helen's coat of all things?

Is it because he secretly wants her to come after him? Or is it because he thinks that it will be so offensive that she'll finally reject him? Maybe he thinks leopard print just looks kind of cheesy and Las Vegas-y. We're not sure.

Regardless, your answer to this question will say a lot about your perception of Don Birnam as a character.