Courtesy photos Gayle DeShambo, account executive from UP Health System Hospice, researched why coins are left at veterans’ graves and left a few coins of her own recently. Each coin has a different meaning. To leave a penny on the gravestone means that you paid a visit to a fallen soldier. A nickel means you and the fallen went to the same boot camp or other military training course together. If you were lucky enough to have served with the soldier, a dime and a quarter means that you were there when the soldier died. Above, Andrew Porter, his wife Tricia and son Scott place pennies on headstones.

Courtesy photos

Gayle DeShambo, account executive from UP Health System Hospice, researched why coins are left at veterans’ graves and left a few coins of her own recently. Each coin has a different meaning. To leave a penny on the gravestone means that you paid a visit to a fallen soldier. A nickel means you and the fallen went to the same boot camp or other military training course together. If you were lucky enough to have served with the soldier, a dime and a quarter means that you were there when the soldier died. Above, Andrew Porter, executive director for UP Health System Hospice, and DeShambo place pennies on the grave stones of fallen soldiers. At left, Porter, his wife Tricia and son Scott place pennies on headstones.