History Main / CoinsForTheDead

See also DueToTheDead regarding other forms of respect towards dead bodies, even those of enemies. TheFerryman is often the one who takes the coins given to the dead.

* ''VideoGame/Fallout4'': computer logs in various police departments around the Commonwealth hold information on the "Nuka-Killer", a pre-War serial killer who would place Nuka-Cola bottlecaps in the eye sockets of their victims, presumably as a twisted reference to this trope. In the post-War world, [[WeirdCurrency with the adoptions of caps as currency]], it takes on a new dimension.

* ''Film/GingerSnapsIIUnleashed'': When Brigitte and Ghost come across [[spoiler: Beth-Ann]]'s still-cooling corpse [[spoiler: in the immediate aftermath of a Werewolf attack]], Ghost puts a couple coins on the body to "pay the ferryman". Played with in that it is as much a display of Ghost's TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior as it is a form of DueToTheDead, since burying bodies with coins has ''long'' since become obsolete as a funeral custom by the present day (when the movie is set).

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* ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'': While his party is fleeing some henchmen on a carriage, Puss dumps a bag full of coins to draw a crowd to block the villains. A moment later, Puss catches sight of the Wolf that's been hunting him throughout the movie in the crowd, who puts a pair of coins over his eyes and points at Puss to remind him that the Wolf isn't done with him. [[spoiler:It also foreshadows TheReveal that the Wolf is actually [[TheGrimReaper Death himself]].]]

* In ''Webcomic/SlightlyDamned'' Medians are buried with a coin that is used to pay Death for their passage across the river Styx. If they don't have one, or refuse to give it up like one greedy banker, they have to swim, which can take years. It's customary for the [[FunnyAnimal jakkai]] to place a coin in the ear of a dead loved one. [[spoiler:After Sakido dies, Rhea puts a coin in her ear even though demons don't get an afterlife.]]

In any culture, when a person dies there are always certain funeral rites to be upheld. Some bury their dead in wooden boxes, others cremate the remains and so on. One particularly ancient tradition is placing a coin or two with the deceased to ensure their safe passage to the afterlife. The general idea is that there is someone waiting to ferry their soul somewhere, but that this individual must be paid properly. If he is not satisfied, the soul cannot pass on and is stuck. Perhaps they become a ghost, perhaps they are stuck in limbo or perhaps they are damned outright.

* ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'': While his party is fleeing some henchmen on a carriage, Puss dumps a chest full of coins to draw a crowd to block the villains. A moment later, Puss catches sight of the Wolf that's been hunting him throughout the movie in the crowd, who puts a pair of coins over his eyes to remind Puss that he isn't done with him. [[spoiler:It also foreshadows the reveal that the Wolf is actually Death himself.]]

* Scrooge's EstablishingCharacterMoment in ''WesternAnimation/AChristmasCarol2009'' comes when he takes the pennies that had been placed on his recently deceased partner's eyes, saying "tuppence is tuppence".
* ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'': While his party is fleeing some henchmen on a carriage, Puss dumps a chest full of coins to draw a crowd to block the villains. A moment later, Puss catches sight of the Wolf that’s been hunting him throughout the movie in the crowd, who puts a pair of coins over his eyes to remind Puss that he isn’t done with him. [[spoiler:It also foreshadows the reveal that the Wolf is actually Death himself.]]