Coin ceremony

{{Short description|Act of placing a coin under a ship's keel for good luck}}{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}

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.[http://www.maritimematters.com/queenmary2.html QM2 at maritime matters:see 4 July 2002] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030805160525/http://www.maritimematters.com/queenmary2.html |date=5 August 2003 }} Retrieved 25 October 2009[http://www.goldbulletin.org/news/2008/05/09/story/9281/gold_coin_used_in_traditional_maritime_ceremony Gold Bulletin: Gold coin used in traditional maritime ceremony] Friday, 9 May 2008, Retrieved 25 October 2009 The coins are not normally fixed in place and are often retrieved when the ship sails out of the dry-dock,[http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/local/news/keel-ceremony-milestone-in-patrol-boat-constructio/3677664/ The Northern Advocate:Keel ceremony milestone in patrol boat construction] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719002709/http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/local/news/keel-ceremony-milestone-in-patrol-boat-constructio/3677664/ |date=19 July 2011 }} Mike Dinsdale, 24 March 2006 (although they are sometimes welded to the keel).[Oceania Cruises:OCEANIA CRUISES AND FINCANTIERI COMMENCE CONSTRUCTION OF MARINA] 7 March 2009

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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110604173028/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=47020 US Navy press release: Crew of New Multimission Destroyer Honors Namesake in Mast Stepping Ceremony] 17 July 2009, Retrieved 25 October 2009