I've always heard it was good luck to pick up a penny lying on the ground; something about not being too proud to bother. And, coins were placed on the eyes of recently deceased individuals. Somewhere in there I'd say it was meant as a good thing to leave coins at the graves. Old Stonewall did have piercing blue eyes, like my (great)Grandpaw McCollum, who used to throw rocks at Yankee soldiers during Reconstruction. Stan