The coin ceremony is an event which takes place at the keel laying, in the early stages of a ship's construction. In it, the shipbuilders place one or two coins under the keel block of the new ship to bless the ship and as a symbol of good fortune. The coins are not normally fixed in place and are often retrieved when the ship sails out of the dry-dock, (although they are sometimes welded to the keel).
The mast stepping ceremony is a similar event which occurs towards the end of a ship's construction, and involves the placing of coins underneath the mast of a ship. In shipbuilding today, the coins are normally welded beneath the radar mast.
References
- QM2 at maritime matters:see 4 July 2002 Archived 5 August 2003 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 October 2009
- Gold Bulletin: Gold coin used in traditional maritime ceremony Friday, 9 May 2008, Retrieved 25 October 2009
- The Northern Advocate:Keel ceremony milestone in patrol boat construction Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Mike Dinsdale, 24 March 2006
- 7 March 2009
- US Navy press release: Crew of New Multimission Destroyer Honors Namesake in Mast Stepping Ceremony 17 July 2009, Retrieved 25 October 2009
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