The Special Meanings of Coins on the Graves of Veterans

Have you ever visited the Veterans Memorial Cemetery (or any other one, for that matter) and noticed coins on the grave markers? I did and looked into what the significance of leaving coins on tombstones was ... there seems to be two reasons, both of which are really cool.

A visitor to a grave could mean that a veteran who served with the deceased visited the grave and has left a down-payment on buying their fallen friend a drink or play a hand of cards when they finally reunite. And it can also be a message of respect left for the veteran's family with each coin denomination signifying something different:

• A penny at the grave says that you visited


• A nickel means that you and the deceased were in boot camp together


• A dime means that you served together


• And lastly, a quarter lets the family know that you were with the fallen soldier when he or she was killed

So the next time you see coins on a grave, you'll know it's not just pocket change, but priceless messages being left by vets for vets and/or their families...