A nickel indicates that the visitor attended basic training with the person being remembered. A dime signifies that they served together.
A quarter traditionally indicates that the visitor was present when the service member passed away. It expresses a particularly personal connection to that final moment.
The custom is often associated with the Vietnam era, although its precise origins are uncertain. Its lasting significance lies in the gesture itself: an ordinary coin becomes a small tribute of remembrance, companionship, and respect.
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