 Among Buck's philanthropic works, he donated the 23.10 carat Carmen Lúcia Ruby to the gem collection at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History It is thought to be one of the finest Burmese rubies known.Curator Jeffrey Post called the gem “the most important addition to the collection in the 20 years that I’ve been here.” 

He also gave a grant to Bowdoin College in 2009 that completed its capital campaign.Consequently, the college's new fitness center bears his name.