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The main reason they put coins on Abraham Lincolns eyes when he dies was to keep his eyelids closed. There is also a wives tale about the pennies allowing the dead to travel to the river Styx.

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9y ago
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9y ago

In ancient Greece and later, Rome, coins were put over a dead person's eyes so that they could pay the toll to cross the River Styx. A spirit unable to pay was doomed to be a ghost, never crossing over to their final reward. It is more likely, however, that coins were place on President Lincoln's eyes because the weight kept his eyes closed.

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15y ago

because he needed some change

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Q: Why did they put coins on Lincoln's eyes when he died?
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Currently US coins are made at four mints. The Philadelphia and Denver mints make coins for circulation. The San Francisco makes proof coins sold to collectors and investors. The West Point mint makes special coins that are not put in circulation and are sold to the general public.


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Related questions

Why did they put pennies over the lords eyes when they died?

traditionally they put two silver coins on the eyes (one on each) and it was for the boat man (or death or the grim reaper any of these names) and it was so that the king could take these coins into the after life and pay the boat man for a safe voyage to the next world


Why did John Ryder put the coins on Jim's eyes in the film The Hitcher?

To send him to Heaven faster and safer.......


Do catholics put coins in the eyes of the dead?

No, Catholic tradition does not involve putting coins in the eyes of the dead. This practice comes from ancient Greek and Roman customs to pay the ferryman to transport the deceased across the river Styx in the afterlife. It is not a part of Catholic funeral rites.


Why did they put coins over the eyes of dead cowboys?

not only cowboys, dead greeks too. it was to pay for their admission to the underworld. sign of respect for hades and hermes.


Why do you close your eyes when you die?

Because looking into the eyes of dead people can be quite unnerving and scary. Closing the eyes makes it easier for people around.(WRONG) When people die they close there eyes because its a sign of respect and the egyptians believed if people died with there eyes open it will keep there spirit unrested and therefore never sleep, so they cut the eyelids off to make them *spiritual* body guards.or they would put coins on there eyes. But its a sign of respect and believed to rest them in peace


Why is Lincoln on the penny?

During planning for the centennial of Lincoln's birth, it was suggested that his portrait be put on a coin. Five denominations - the cent and four gold coins - were scheduled for redesign at that time. However the Mint was already far along in choosing new images for the gold coins, so the cent was the coin chosen to honor the 16th President.


What did cavemen do with the body when one died?

i think they cut the heads off, plucked the eyes out, took the skin off the head, and put fake eyes, and kept the heads as ornaments


How do you get a bunch of coins in car town?

Find someone with a bunch of coins and have them put them in for you.


Why did they put coins in dead person eye?

In Greek mythology, the coins were so the souls could pay the cost for Charon to ferry them across the River Styx. Different cultures have different reasons for doing this. It is a custom in some cultures to place coins on the eyelids of the dead to keep their eyes closed. The custom is thought to have begun for cosmetic reasons. When a person dies, in a short time their eyes sink far back into their head as they dehydrate, causing the face to present an appearance that many people find disturbing. Placing coins over the eye sockets covered the eyes and made the visage less unpleasant for the bereaved. Nowadays morticians slip plastic fillers behind the eyelids to eliminate this effect.


Where would i write Abraham Lincolns initials on map?

If I was doing a map I would put him in Kentucky, Illinois, and Washington.


When was iron put into copper coins?

iron was added to the copper coins somewhere in the 1990.


Why put quarters in or on cremation urns?

In Greek belief the two coins placed over the eyes during a cremation or burial are required to pay the Ferrie Boat Captain for a ride across the river to the after life.