Coins as jewelry

[Wartooth]

I have an old (1730s) Dutch East Indies coin that I would like to display as jewelry. They're not too terribly uncommon and can be bought for well under $10 for mediocre quality, so I'm not worried about damaging it. I won't have it made into a pendant, as I already wear a 6" silver-capped boar's tusk on a necklace.

Have any of you had coins made into rings? This one is about the size of a US penny or maybe just a tad larger. I wouldn't know where to begin with it or what it would even cost. Or even a "manly man" bracelet?

Wartooth

[endkaos]

Well, Let's see.

I have made coins into necklaces, earrings, bracelets, cufflinks and button covers, but I haven't made a coin into a ring.

First question is...how is big is the coin? Is it small enough to sit on the top of the length of your finger as if it was a large jewel? If so, then all you be needin is a mount for it. Best place to get a ring mount is firemountain gems and beads.

http://www.firemountaingems.com/

You will also need mounting adhesive like "527" bond to adhere the coin to the ring mount. Once in place and dry... you have a coin ring. These same principals apply for some types of earrings, cufflinks, some bracelets and definitely the button covers.

If you looking to drill a hole big enough for your finger to fit through the coin, I not be much help there.

Hope this helps.

[Wartooth]

Thanks for the link, Tori. Unfortunately, none of those mounts look as if they'll fit a coin this size comfortably. I may have to break down and pay a jeweler to do this.

Wartooth

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

I absolutely LOVE mine- it was a gift from Saber on my 40th birthday. It is great because I can not only wear it for reenactments both historically accurate and not, but it looks great with a blazer at work with a scoop-neck T-shirt & jeans or the most elegant evening wear.

My coin, a Spanish 4 reale cobb or "piece of four" was collected on Wabasso Beach in Florida. It is attributed to the "Santo Cristo De San Roman" one of the 12 ships of the Spanish Plate Fleet that wrecked along the coast of Florida in 1715. The salvage operations were raided by pirate Henry Jennings who stormed the beach with more than 300 pirates... and was so successfull he came back and did it second time!!

Here is a photo-

[LadyBarbossa]

Best I have is a small silvery replica of a Doubloon. Found it at Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant IA this past year. Only one there. Only $1. So... bought it. I wear it nearly every day.

Huzzah!

Anastazia

~Master & Commander of the Resurrection

[Isabella]

Wartooth,

Hm...it could be bessel set into a ring, easily. It's not too expensive, but also remember, if you use your hands a lot, you might knock the coin and ruin it's orginal details. You may opt to have it set in a besel setting where the metal makes a "frame" around the edge of the coin. That would protect it. Also it could be set into a Jade or cab setting, with prongs that would protect it.

Necklace Coin Settings

Coin Ring Settings

This place is pricy, but theirs always cheaper, if you aren't into gold, etc.

A good jeweler could set it, if your willing to pay the price, and they will have more lost wax dummies than most places with just settings. Then if you wanted something speical like a ocean theme, etc put onto the ring also, they can add it. :)

[Wartooth]

Good point, Izzy. I hadn't thought about framing the ring to protect it. I'll do some more research and give it a bit more thinking.

Thanks all!

Wartooth

[Isabella]

No problem Hon! :) I took jewelry courses in high school, and did a lot of cab jewelry, and bezel set jewelry. I help set a lot of opals. If I had equiptment now I'd do it for you, but alas, I don't.