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 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,521 |
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New Member
United States
24 Posts |
My girlfriend and I went on a past-peak foliage tour today and wound up at Bellefontaine and Cavalry Cemeteries in St Louis, where we found an unexpected LMC exhibit:    Zincolns sure deteriorate in the elements! Tom |
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Valued Member
United States
436 Posts |
That is very interesting! Anyone know the story behind the cents and Dred Scott?  An interesting time in our history, for sure, but I have no idea what's behind the coins left there. Very cool that you visited his grave! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
532 Posts |
I am not a superstitious person in general but some behaviors I do perform more just for the significance, not any real belief in the powers of luck ect. Coins on a marker is considered just a nice gesture. To those unfamiliar it is a very old tradition. Many different spins on the tradition but it is done to help with the transition for the fallen into the afterlife, and for fortune in the afterlife. All depends on what the personal beliefs of the individual are.
There are some coins with tails showing. I was always told to never place a coin on a marker face down. Most any beliefs tails showing is a no-no but I have never really done any reading or research about it. Just was always told it had to be face up.
All of that is besides the point.......The question everyone wants to know...
So what did you find when you searched them!? hahahahha j/k
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Valued Member
United States
393 Posts |
Is that a custom I don't know about? There are lots of pennies on the ground also. The grave marker does'nt appear to be very old. Wonder why the original has been replaced? Dred Scott is important to our history and his grave should be well marked, but I don't understand the pennies.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1424 Posts |
Maybe it's not the coin that is significant, maybe it's Abe Lincoln that is significant to a freed slave....  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
532 Posts |
I only know about some of these practices because of my father. He was an original old school man's man. Always so stoic. Quiet and deliberate he would smile and softly tap or knock on the marker and place a small coin on top. No outward ceremony.
When I was very young I immediately tried to ask about why, he shot me the look to just mind my business. Then when we were leaving I remember almost with terror about "OMG Someone is going to take the coin when we leave!" but of course just kept to myself instead of asking.
Not until I saw him again do it several years later at another friends resting place. He was very short with his explanation. Not to be mysterious or intentionally vague, just that it was important to do to remember the fallen and to share best wishes when at their resting place. The coin meant you thought about them, the significance of the gesture is based not at all on the amount, but on the actual act. That they are not forgotten or just a memory. That their spirit and effect on you has lived on and is still a part of what has helped this world.
You are thinking of them and wishing them the best from the last known point they were physically here. Not about religion, just tradition and respect.
Like I said in my last post- I only know my own exposure. Seems there are hundreds of various reasons of belief structures on why people do it. I can only speak from my own.....from my father.
-RFB
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Valued Member
United States
436 Posts |
Nice bmanofnbc, I hadn't thought of that! True or not, it is very fitting!
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New Member
 United States
24 Posts |
Quote:
All of that is besides the point.......The question everyone wants to know...
So what did you find when you searched them!? hahahahha j/k I didn't touch any of them, but didn't see anything special, maybe more coppers than usually seen.  I'm not sure of the significance of leaving coins either, but agree that Lincoln is probably the critical factor, and the cent is just a matter of convenience. On a related note, my LN6 set arrived yesterday! Tom |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
608 Posts |
Maybe, just maybe, he collected pennies during his life!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1745 Posts |
I saw the same thing at Gettysburg National Cemetery and there it's all about honoring Lincoln.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Hey, another local yokel! How is life treating you out in Gumbo Flats? I have never been to the northside cemetaries but they do have some historic graves there. Strange custom with the Lincolns, the only usage of cents on a tomb I have seen was in New Orleans at the tomb of Marie Laveau(had something to do with voodoo blessing rituals). Quote:
Maybe, just maybe, he collected pennies during his life! They should be leaving Large Cents then  Of course, if they did that, I would be there every weekend cherrypicking... |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Quote:
Maybe it's not the coin that is significant, maybe it's Abe Lincoln that is significant to a freed slave Very astute observation--and good of you to leave respect those Lincolns.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1151 Posts |
After a Google search, here are some things I found:
"One is that Benjamin Franklin's grave has pennies on it because of the "penny saved is a penny earned" adage. And, I suppose, the practice has spread."
Another is that pennies are put on some graves (Frank Sinatra's, in a story I found) as pennies from heaven. (Seems pennies for heaven would make more sense.)
"Still another is that in some traditions, there was believed to be a fee due to pass to the underworld, and that these coins are intended to help the deceased pay for the passage."
"it's to pay the ferry man, the tradition in fishing communities was for the men to have a gold hoop in an ear so if the ship went down the ferryman could be paid as coins were in short supply due to poverty and had to be left with the wives the tradition of the gold hoop continues in some north east scotland fishing families , although it's also a fashion thing now"
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1745 Posts |
I also found this about Gettysburg. Quote:
The 29 states which sent men to this battle later put up monuments to honor them. One of the more famous is on Little Round Top- it honors the 20th Maine, led by Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Visitors to this monument, as well as other monuments, leave pennies (with Lincoln's face up), notes, flowers, and flags to honor their ancestors, or just to honor the heroics of the men who fought at this battle. |
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Valued Member
United States
382 Posts |
I have never heard of this, pretty interesting custom. The only thing I have seen like this is that Jew's put rocks on the headstones when they visit the cemetery. Maybe same type of thing ?
Tony
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Replies: 14 / Views: 1,521 |
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Posted 10/25/2009 10:42 pm
