I looooove coin jewelry! It’s a great way to show off my favorite finds and get others interested in coins. Today I’ll show you how you can make your own coin jewelry.
Step 1: Decide What Coin You Would Like To Wear
If you are reading this article, I assume you already have a coin in mind. I recommend mercury dimes and small gold cents in jewelry! They are small enough to be inconspicuous and not too gaudy. I wear my mercury dime necklace everyday!
Today I will be making a dollar coin necklace. I was caught between the American Innovation Series Telephone Coin or a Susan B. Anthony Dollar coin. I decided on the Telephone Coin because I think it looked better in contrast to the silver color of the bezel.
Step 2: Find A Correctly Sized Bezel
A bezel is the ring that holds your coin in place. There are two main types of bezels and how they secure your coins. One type uses prong in the back to keep the coin in place, the other is a screw-top bezel which uses tension to keep the coin in place.
Screw Bezel:
Prong Bezel:
If you are using a valuable coin, definitely pick a bezel that does not use prongs, as the prongs will dig into the coin and diminish its value.
I decided to make a necklace out of a cheap dollar coin, so I was not worried about the type of bezel I used. Here is the bezel I decided on, the Sabrina Silver 26mm Diamond Cut:
Step 3: Center the Coin in the Bezel
Make sure you properly center the coin in the bezel! It is very hard to change after it is secured. I recommend putting it in place and then checking in a mirror to see how you like it.
Step 4: Secure the Coin
For this prong-type bezel, you will need to move the prongs without scratching the front of the bezel. The best way to do this is to put a folded piece of paper or cloth on the front of the coin to prevent scratches.
This way, you can push on the front of the coin with your pliers and not cause any damage to the surface of the coin.
Make sure all the prongs/tabs are tightly secured, you do not want the coin to jiggle free.
Step 5: Attach Your Necklace
The biggest step here is to make sure the necklace lays flat against your neck when it is worn. For some bezels, that may mean using a jump instead of directly attaching the chain to the bezel.
There are many different types of chains you could use. For my dollar coin necklace, I decided to use a regular nickel-plated chain since I had one on hand. For my mercury dime necklace, since it is a valuable coin, I opted to buy a .925 sterling silver chain.
Step 6: Wear It!
Congratulations! You did it!
I made this Mercury dime necklace 2 years ago and have worn it everyday! A lot of people have complimented me on it.
The hardest part about making coin jewelry is usually gathering the appropriately sized materials.
Below I will attach a list of my recommended products. The dollar coin items will be cheaper, since the coin is usually cheaper. I will recommend nicer/more valuable material for a Mercury dime necklace, because I like the way silver and gold-filling look.
You can make either one as cheap, or as expensive as you would like, feel free to message me for product recommendations!
Here is a list of what I would recommend for making your own dollar coin necklace:
- 26mm Bezel
- Sterling Silver Chain (Make sure to check desired length. I like 16-20 inches)
Here is a list of recommended products for a mercury dime necklace:
- Gold Filled Bezel
- Sterling Silver Figaro Chain (Figaro is the chain type I have. It is gorgeous!)
- Small Screwdriver (Just need it for the small screw on the bezel. I used a kitchen knife for mine lol)
Do you wear coin jewelry? Share a comment and vote in our poll below!
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