If You Find Coins Laying on Military Tombstones, Here’s Why They Are There

Every Memorial Day, many war veterans and active servicemen and women gather around to commemorate those who have sacrificed their lives for the well-being of everyone else. Many head to cemeteries around the country to visit the graves of fellow servicemen and women.

If you take a walk through a cemetery during one of the days following Memorial Day, you may notice that some tombstones have coins laying on them. It’s important that you not touch these coins as they are there for a very special reason.

Coins are left on the tombstones of fallen soldiers as a sign of respect. They show the family of the service member that someone has came by to pay their respects.

Each coin has a different meaning to represent the relationship between the person leaving the coin and the deceased service member.

A penny simply means that someone has visited the grave to pay their respects.

A nickel means that the person who left the coin trained or was at boot camp with the deceased service member.

A dime represents that the person who left the coin served alongside the deceased member.

Finally, a quarter (the highest relationship value) means that the person who left the coin was alongside the service member when they were killed.

Every so often, the coins are collected by the cemetery workers and is used to pay for the upkeep of the cemetery or for the burial costs of the veterans.

Dave Taylor, a Vietnam War veteran, always looks forward to putting on his uniform to pay respects at the cemetery.

After stepping in front of each grave and saying a short sentiment, he sets down the appropriate grave and salutes.

It’s important to remember the ultimate sacrifices these brave men and women made and the next time you walk by a military tombstone with coins laying on top, consider paying respects by laying the appropriate coin on top as well.