My mother was born in Ohio in 1974. A few days after her birth, she received the object that I am writing about today. My mother is first-generation American, as her parents and grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from the Middle East. The object my mother received was two shiny gold coins; one from her mother’s parents, and one from her father’s parents. 
There is an old tradition in the Middle East to gift gold to a newborn, which is why my mother received these coins.Coins were the most common gift but any form of gold is acceptable; for example, my grandmother gave me a gold bracelet. 
The special thing about my mother’s coins is that they are Turkish coins from the reign of the last Ottoman sultan; making them at least 110 years old and they have been in my family’s possession for the entire time.
Because my mother wears these coins every day, to me, this necklace represents her. The necklace is also important to me because it connects me to my culture. The coins were given to my mom as part of a cultural tradition, in addition to being from my family’s homeland. This necklace is also a symbol of my family's resilience. Both of my mother’s grandparents were refugees and had many times where they struggled to find money. They could have sold the coins to buy necessities, but they didn't in order to maintain their connection to their homes despite being forced out. 

– BH

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant