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Have you ever noticed coins on a gravestone, and wondered why they were there? When a U.S. service member or loved one leaves a coin on a gravestone it has special significance. Though the meaning of this custom has changed over time, it’s a tradition with a long history.The idea of leaving coins with the departed dates back as far as the Greeks and Romans.
• Leaving a penny indicates that the person who left it knew them from military service. • A nickel on the grave, means they trained in boot camp together.
• If you see a dime on a soldier’s grave, it signifies that the person who left it served in the same company as the deceased.
• The most meaningful of all the denominations is the quarter. The quarter left on a grave means they were with the soldier when they died.
A different meaning for one soldier leaving change on another soldier’s grave is what’s called a “down payment.” A down payment simply means that the soldier wanted to be sure to let their buddy know, that he will buy him a drink on the other side. The change is a way of saying he’s good for it. It’s common practice for the cemeteries to eventually pick up the change, and put it towards grave maintenance for less fortunate departed soldiers.
Why Soldiers Leave Coins as a Memorial | kgw.com Portland
• Leaving a penny indicates that the person who left it knew them from military service. • A nickel on the grave, means they trained in boot camp together.
• If you see a dime on a soldier’s grave, it signifies that the person who left it served in the same company as the deceased.
• The most meaningful of all the denominations is the quarter. The quarter left on a grave means they were with the soldier when they died.
A different meaning for one soldier leaving change on another soldier’s grave is what’s called a “down payment.” A down payment simply means that the soldier wanted to be sure to let their buddy know, that he will buy him a drink on the other side. The change is a way of saying he’s good for it. It’s common practice for the cemeteries to eventually pick up the change, and put it towards grave maintenance for less fortunate departed soldiers.
Why Soldiers Leave Coins as a Memorial | kgw.com Portland
