Why did people put holes in coins?

Now here's a holed coin to the max.
Trajan (98-117). Æ Sestertius (34mm, 23.54g, 6h). Rome, c. 107-111. Laureate bust r., slight drapery on l. shoulder. R/ Octastyle temple with portico on either side, seated figure within; Jupiter on pediment seated facing, seated figures on either side; Victories at corners, standing figure at point. RIC II 577. Three holes repaired, otherwise near VF.

 

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To facilitate vending/slot machine theft in the mostly less-than-current modern era.

 

My dad told me that mothers would sew holed coins in there son's clothing when they went off to war. These coins sometimes had 2 holes.

 

Or bracelet. I've seen that before.

 

Many countries had coins minted with holes already in them. It served the same purpose as a coin roll - you string them together in specific quantities. There are some US pattern coins that were holed, but none were ever done for circulation.

 

SensibleSal's reasons are good.
I have several but these are a few:
1) To wear around the neck
2) Concealed coins on string in someone's jacket.
3) Ancient boredom.

To those three I would add;
4) Button replacement, usually two holes, but also three and four hole with Large and half cents.
5) I've also heard use as a washer though I have never seen any cents that show that kind of use
6) Jewelry, as you have to remember that for the common person actual jewelry wasn't available, but a coin had actual worth and was on hand for most everyone. Whether a simple hole and a string was enough or an engraved Love Token would fill in fine for a piece of jewelry.
One of my favorite Large cents is holed with an inscription that looks about as crude as one could get yet I can feel how much love the young couple must have shared.

Sal's Ancient boredom reason has always been a good guess for me. Zero entertainment to be had so you had to amuse yourself.

 

I quickly scrolled though this thread, without really reading. Some people wanted a necklace, when coins were not that valuable, I get it. What I do not get is why people put a hole through their tongue or septum of their nose. I'll hang up and listen on the air.

 

Hard to tell which coins you have displayed here, but especially Chinese Cash Coins were designed with a hole to be stored on a string like you show.

 

Thailand 10 satang coins, in my late mother in law’s safety deposit box. My wife remembers her grandma, who sold rice, having strings of these hanging in the shop. So it was still done this way not that long ago.