One common fixture – and one you’ve likely seen at some point in time – is the placing of coins on headstones. But why does this exist? And where did it come from?
Placing coins on gravestones is a custom witnessed in cemeteries all over the US and beyond. I first noticed it as a child when on a visit to my grandfather’s grave, and even then I began to wonder what it was all about.
That said, placing coins on gravestones is related to the military. It’s said it can be traced back to the Vietnam War, with a page on the American Legion Website writing:
Other reasons for leaving coins on gravestones including veterans honoring their fallen comrades, sometimes placing the coins to buy them a beer. As per reports, each coin symbolizes something different.
A penny, for example, simply says that someone was there, while a nickel is left by someone who served in boot camp with the deceased.
A dime, meanwhile, signifies time served in the military together. Then there are quarters, which let the family know that whoever left the coin was present during the time of the loved one’s death.
Have you ever seen a coin left on a gravestone? Did you know what it meant? Let us know in the comments.
