dead man's penny

plural dead man's pennies · plural dead men's pennies

1. World War IinformalSynonym of death penny.

   Individual memories could be served by medals, commemorative plaques—such as the 'dead man's penny' issued in Britain—or honour scrolls.

   2014, Ian F. W. Bennett, The Great War, →ISBN, page 616

   2 more examples

   Nonetheless, the "Dead Man's Pennies" in private or public collections, museums and national archives, are a constant reminder of the ultimate price paid by the men and women of the armed services during the Great War of 1914–1918

   2008, Denny Neave, Soldiers' Tales: A Collection of True Stories from Aussie Soldiers, →ISBN

   One woman in London's East End had thirteen sets of medals and thirteen dead men's pennies on display in her front window by the end of the war.

   2018, Neil Oliver, Not Forgotten: The Great War and Our Modern Memory, →ISBN

   Synonyms: death penny