Coins on a Tomb Stone and Porch Lights!
If you see coins on a grave or headstone; hands off.
Meaning
It usually means these are Military Graves of Fallen Soldiers and Vetarans that have passed away being honored by their closest friends and families.
Penny: You visited the grave to pay your respects.
Nickel: You and the deceased trained together at boot camp.
Dime: You served together in the military.
Quarter: You were with the service member when they passed away.
Other meanings: Some veterans also leave coins as a symbolic "down payment" to buy their fallen comrades a drink in the afterlife.
Challenge Coins: Fellow soldiers sometimes leave challenge coins (unit medallions) to honor fallen comrades, a more formal tribute. You can find out more about them at the Wounded Warrior Project.
Be Considerate and know the history:
Ancient Origins:
The practice dates back to ancient Greece and Rome, where coins were placed in the mouth or on the eyes of the deceased to pay the ferryman (Charon) for passage to the underworld. This was carried on well into modern times.
Vietnam Era:
It gained popularity in the U.S. during the Vietnam War as a quiet way for veterans to show respect, bypassing difficult family conversations.
Modern Gesture:
Today, it's a widespread sign of respect, acknowledging the sacrifice and ensuring the fallen are not forgotten.
Collected Funds:
Coins left in national cemeteries and are typically collected periodically by cemetery staff, and the funds are used for the cemetery's maintenance or to cover burial costs for indigent veterans.
Porch Light Colors
The following are for the most common, Key color meanings:
Red
Traditional: Associated with fire, blood, passion, anger, and danger. In ancient Rome, red was a color of majesty and authority. In China, it symbolizes good fortune, happiness, and prosperity, often used for weddings and festivals.
Modern: Used universally in traffic lights and warning signs to mean "stop" or caution due to its high visibility and association with danger. It is also used in lighting to create urgency, passion, or romanticism.
Other: American Heart Month, Valentine's Day.
Green
Traditional: Linked to nature, life, fertility, and regeneration in ancient Egypt. In Christianity, it signifies hope and eternal life during Ordinary Time.
Modern: In Western cultures, it represents "go," safety, freshness, wealth, and environmentalism. It is used in interior design to create a calming, balanced atmosphere.
Other: Military veterans, St. Patrick's Day, liver disease awareness, and in some cases covid victims remembrance.
Blue
Traditional: Associated with the heavens, water, and rebirth in ancient Egypt. In several Middle Eastern traditions, blue is believed to ward off the evil eye.
Modern: Masculinity, calmness, peace, tranquility, and trust. Cooler blue light is used in work environments to increase alertness and focus, but can disrupt sleep if used before bedtime.
Other: Autism awareness, supporting Law Enforcement
Yellow/Gold
Traditional: Symbolized the sun, divinity, intellect, and wealth in various cultures. In Buddhism and Hinduism, saffron or yellow is a sacred color representing purity, wisdom, and renunciation.
Modern: Associated with happiness, optimism, cheerfulness, and mental clarity. Yellow traffic lights are used as a transitional "caution" or "warning" signal.
Other: Autism awareness, supporting Law Enforcement
Purple/Violet
Traditional: A long-standing symbol of royalty, nobility, and high status across European and Japanese history because the dye was historically expensive to produce. It can also represent affliction and melancholy.
Modern: In contemporary contexts, it is linked to creativity, spirituality, wisdom, and imagination. Purple lights are also widely used in modern awareness campaigns, such as for domestic violence awareness, or in a practical sense, some hospital settings use violet-blue light to kill bacteria.
Other: Domestic violence awareness.
Purple/Violet
Traditional: Innocence, purity, gentleness, romantic love, flesh, and spiritual joy, it often signifies romance, tenderness, and sensitivity.
Modern: Femininity, calmness, affection, compassion, breast cancer awareness.
Other: Breast cancer awareness.
White
Traditional: Universally represents purity, innocence, peace, and light. Also the color for mourning and funerals in some cultures.
Modern: Used in clinical settings for cleanliness and clarity. It is the standard color for general, neutral home and office lighting, often linked to creating a sense of alertness and focus.
Other: Lung cancer/disease awareness, bone disease awareness, adoption awareness, blindness awareness, Holocaust remembrance,
Orange/Saffron
Traditional: Associated with creativity, enthusiasm, and endurance.
Modern: Conveys warmth, sociability, and excitement, often used in retail and restaurants to create a welcoming atmosphere and stimulate appetite.
Other: Halloween, some victim support campaigns.
These will also often be represented by a single looped ribbon as a way of expressing a deeper sense of respect and honoring the particular association being used.
In this case its honoring Veterans
