Don't Take Coins off of Tombstones!

[SoonerP226]

This video seems particularly relevant given the current holiday weekend. If you want to know why you sometimes see coins on the headstones of veterans, and what the different denominations of the coins represent, here you go. I knew the part about putting coins on the eyes or in the mouth of the deceased to pay Charon to carry him across the River Styx, but I'd never heard about leaving coins on headstones.

For Sgt. Hy, this is a very subdued video, with precious little swearing.


FWIW, I was raised to believe that it was just common decency to not screw with stuff on/around headstones, but I guess not everyone sees it that way.

 

[SoonerP226]

"If you see a quarter [on a tombstone], somebody was probably having a not so great day shortly before you showed up."

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Looks like he was, um...made aware...of his mistake. He returned the quarter and learned a lesson in the process.

 

[GIJROB]

I get what he is saying but I know for a fact you are not supposed to put anything on the head stones in any national cemetery pre the policy's set forth. That being said (former national cemetery caretaker) I never care for that and many other that the put in place, one of the many reasons I quit working for them. Let's be honest the VA doesn't care about veterans alive or dead.

 

[TerryMiller]

I've not watched the video, but several years back, I was looking through one of the Japanese Internment camps, specifically the one in Grenada, CO and went into the small cemetery that is there. A number of headstones there had coins on the headstones, including on one for a baby that had died.

I guess some don't believe that the "tradition" applies only to veterans.

 

[audiotech]

he looks and behaves like nikocado avocado’s brother.. he is right?

 

[dennishoddy]

First time I’ve ever heard of that tradition and I’ve been to several national veterans cemeteries in Ks, New Mexico and Colorado.
Our local VFW that I’m a member of, puts flags on Veterans graves in our local cemetery.
Can’t say I’ve seen any coins on headstones.
Maybe there were and I missed them? I’ll certainly be looking in the future.

 

[Chard]

Seen this at Ft Gibson Nat’l Cemetery for the first yesterday. Pennies were on my Dad’s headstone. I left flowers.

 

[SoonerP226]

First time I’ve ever heard of that tradition

I’d guess that it’s a GWOT veteran tradition (that’s Sgt. Hy’s era).

 

[JEVapa]

I’d guess that it’s a GWOT veteran tradition (that’s Sgt. Hy’s era).

I would tend to agree with that. WWP states that it started during Vietnam and maybe so, but probably came into prominence during GWOT.

The Meaning Behind Coins on Military Graves

Placing a coin on a service member or veteran’s headstone is a show of respect and honor, as well as letting the deceased service member’s family know someone was there, but the denomination of the coins each has a distinct and significant meaning.

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