If you find a coin on a loved one’s gravestone, you had better know what it means

We all have different traditions when it comes to commemorating and paying tribute to our loved ones who have passed away.

In today’s world, honoring the customs of others while commemorating the lives of the departed ought to come as standard practice. Some may choose to follow traditions or practices that the rest of us are not familiar with, but it doesn’t make them any less legitimate.

The same is true with gravestones and the ornamentation certain families choose to place over their loved ones’ last resting places. Coins being placed on headstones is one custom that is widely practiced and that you have probably witnessed at some point. However, why is this even a thing? And from whence did it originate? Continue reading to learn more.

Coins are traditionally placed on gravestones in cemeteries around the United States and other countries. When I was a little child, I first observed it when I was at my grandfather’s tomb, and even then, I started to wonder what it was all about.

Luckily, finding the beginnings online doesn’t need much research. Although it was previously thought that the practice originated with Roman military troops, a number of sources have disproved that theory in recent years.

Still, there’s a military connection to leaving pennies on gravestones. The American Legion Website states on one of its pages that it can be linked to the Vietnam War.

“Leaving a coin was considered a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the soldier’s grave than contacting the soldier’s family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war, due to the political divide in the country over the war.”

There are other reasons why veterans leave pennies on gravestones in memory of their fallen friends; occasionally, they do so in order to purchase a beer for them. Each coin represents a different meaning, according to reports.

For instance, a nickel is left by someone who served in boot camp with the deceased, whereas a penny just indicates that someone was present.

On the other hand, a dime represents a combined period of military service. Next are quarters, which inform the family of the presence of whoever left the coin at the moment of the loved one’s passing.

Ever notice a penny left on a gravestone? Were you aware of its meaning? Tell us in the comments below.

Kate Middleton cancer update as decision made about Princess’s royal return

Kate Middleton is the center of attention as she fights cancer.

After causing a sensation with her public and media absence, Kate released a pre-recorded video in which she disclosed that tests conducted after her scheduled stomach surgery revealed the existence of cancer.

She has since freed up her calendar, and the Palace has not made any announcements about her possible return to royal duties.

A top assistant, though, appears to have more knowledge of what has been happening behind closed doors and made a suggestion on when Kate might resume her royal duties.

The Princess of Wales is “excited” to be at the center of the introduction of a new project that might grow the UK economy by £45.5 billion ($57 billion) annually, despite her attempts to avoid the spotlight. According to The Daily Mirror, a study from eight British companies will be released this week by Kate’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. The research will outline five areas where businesses may provide help to children under five and their caretakers. Additionally, it will draw attention to the enormous long-term advantages of early childhood investment.