Coins on a Headstone

While visiting cemeteries, you may notice coins on headstones of military personnel left by previous visitors to the grave. A coin left on a headstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased Soldier’s family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect.

These coins have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of Veterans, especially those who gave their life while serving in America’s military. These meanings vary depending on the denomination of coin. The tradition of leaving coins on the headstones of military personnel dates back to the Roman Empire.

Leaving a penny at the grave means simply that you visited. A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together, while a dime means you served with him or her in some capacity. By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the Soldier when he or she was killed.

Another tradition is leaving “challenge coins” by fellow Veterans who served in the same unit. Challenge coins bring sentiment and can have a deeper meaning.

According to tradition, the money left at graves in national and state Veterans Cemeteries is eventually collected, and the funds are put toward maintaining the cemetery or paying burial costs for indigent Veterans.