Why are people leaving pennies on this Civil War officer's grave this week?

Visitors to the Erie Cemetery have been paying homage to a Civil War hero from Erie this week.

July 1-3 is the Battle of Gettysburg's 161st anniversary and July 2 is the day Col. Strong Vincent was shot and wounded at Little Round Top. He died five days later on July 7, 1863.

More: Erie native Hans G. Myers' book aims to give Civil War hero Strong Vincent his due

Strong Vincent is one of Erie County's most noted citizens, with a middle school named after him, a statue in front of Blasco Library and a bridge that spans the Bayfront Parkway dedicated to him.

People pay their respects to his memory by leaving Lincoln pennies on his gravestone at Erie Cemetery, 2116 Chestnut St. Vincent is buried in Section 1, Lot 6, Grave 11.

The tradition of leaving a penny on a military veteran's headstone is a way to show respect and honor, and to signify that someone has visited the grave. Different coins have different meanings, though.

Coins on headstones

According to the Department of Military Affairs "Coins on Headstones Meaning" guide, here's what each coin signifies:

• Pennies: Signifies a person has visited the fallen veteran’s grave.
• Nickels: Signifies the person who visited the fallen veteran’s grave trained with the deceased at boot camp.
• Dimes: Signifies the person who visited the fallen veteran’s grave completed a part of his or her service with the deceased in some capacity.
• Quarters: Signifies the person who visited the fallen veteran’s grave was present when the deceased died.

A stone monument memorial in Waterford is dedicated to Strong Vincent on the property where he was born, at East First and Cherry streets. Vincent's grandfather, Judge John Vincent, lived on the property, in a home that burned down in the 1990s.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Why are people leaving pennies on this Civil War officer's grave this week?