Simple Coin Pendant

This is a pretty easy instructable about how you can make a coin pendant out of just about any non-aluminum coin. Brass or bronze coins work best.

Make sure to check out my blog!

Now you can wear the coins you found or brought back from your travels! 

You will need a little bit of soldering experience. The soldering here is pretty easy, so this project would make a pretty good introduction to jewelry making.

Step 1 What You'll Need

Solder
Small Torch
Flux
Brass Pipe
Coin
Working surface (in this case, an upturned soapstone candle holder)
Small File
600 grit wetdry sandpaper

Comments

[shadow wave rider]

hey, i saw a coin necklace similar to this on your blog, i think it was travellers necklece. i was wondering how you get the background f the coins black. you didn't paint them did u. please tell me, they look pritty cool.

[foolswalk]

Depending on the metal you can soak them in bleach and sand the raised edges with a very fine sandpaper, or paint them with little bit of cooking oil and heat them gently with a torch or over a stove burner, if you watch closely the colors will progress from golden brown to black, then if you coat them with a very fine sheen of furniture wax you can get the color to hold.

[nepheron]

I just heat them with a torch until they start to glow a little, then I let them cool slowly in the air. The metal is black when they cool. To bring the design forward, i use fine wet dry sandpaper and polish off the black oxide on the highest parts of the design - making the coin look aged and worn.

[sabu.dawdy]

thtz pak rupee :p

[DIY Dave]

What kind of solder did you use?

[nepheron]

I just used acid-core plumbing solder. You can get it everywhere. Make sure that it's LEAD FREE. Most solder these days is, but make sure you read the label first...

[DIY Dave]

Thanks

[paqrat]

I see where you said you use plumber's flux but you didn't say what sort of solder you used. I hope its lead free.

[ColeKreviazuk]

Hej! Really like how this one shows it is possible to not be overly handy and still make something nice for someone. And you definately found an easier way to work with these materials than many may think there is. My only less complimentary words concern the title of your instructable containing the word 'easy'. Sure enough it's an easy process, but i might (and as i've heard, has) mislead some people looking for even less complex tools and materials for this kind of jewelry.

Keep up the good work!

[nepheron]

Thanks!! I'm glad you like my project!
I think your point about the title is a very good one. 'Easy' is altogether too relative of a term... The process is 'simple', but not necessarily
'easy' for everyone.

[thepete]

Silly question: could I use US currency for this project? I mean, assuming I didn't mind defacing government property? ;P (Like a penny is worth anything, anyway).

[nepheron]

You can use any coin you want.
However, it is illegal to deface a U.S. coin AND try to pass it off as regular money. It is perfectly legal to alter U.S. currency without any fraudulent intent.

Source of the following US Law Data:

331. Mutilation, diminution, and falsification of coins

Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States; or
Whoever fraudulently possesses, passes, utters, publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or brings into the United States, any such coin, knowing the same to be altered, defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled, or lightened—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
end of source

Notice the word 'fraudulent'
Making necklaces is not fraudulent activity. Their is a lot of bad info online about this subject, and it is hotly debated. The actual law, though, speaks for itself. Making necklaces from U.S coins is perfectly legal as long as you do not try to spend the coins.

I hope that helps :)
-Nepheron

[thepete]

Definitely! Thanks, Nepheron!

[555mst555]

did u heat it till it's glowing red?

[nepheron]

Heat what? Do you mean the solder joint?

[555mst555]

the coin.

[punkhead58]

Why would he need to heat the coin? You do realize that he's soldering, right?

[555mst555]

you shut ur mouth you punkhead.lol! jkjk. sorry, i just had to do that.haha:) anyways, is flux expensive? coz i just need abit to try out this i'bles

[punkhead58]

Well, I suppose you are partially correct: the coin does need to be heated to about 700 degrees Fahrenheit in order for it to form an inter-metallic bond with the solder, but that's nowhere near it's point of malleability, and it's not going to get much hotter than that with a butane torch.

[nepheron]

A lifetime supply of flux can be found at any hardware store for about $1.50. Don't get the water soluble stuff, that's for sissies. Get the stuff that has the big warnings all over it, it really works best!

[555mst555]

lol. ok

[ChrysN]

Nice, is that a rupee?

[skwisgaar]

Yes. it is a pakistani 1 rupee coin

[maruawe]

looks like a Mexican coin

[nepheron]

Thanks!
I have no idea what the language it is, so I can't decipher it. I'm pretty sure it's not from India though, rupees usually have the lions-crouching-around-the-pillar-thing.

[phant0m_sp00f3ra]

The one with the eagle is a mexican coin, it reads Estados unidos Mexicanos, wich translates to United States of Mexico, wich is the official Name of Mexico. and that eagle is the Symbol of Mexico. and the other one is Rupee

[skwisgaar]

Its a Pakistani rupee. i am from pakistan so i know

[nepheron]

Oh! I thought only india had rupees :D
You are correct, this is a rupee

[jeffconnelly]

I think it's a peso.

[ElvenChild]

Um...sorry an acquaintance of mine reads arabic it is a rupee

[kill1234]

probably, because "mexicanos" on the last pic obviously means mexico.

[ChrysN]

I think so too, but the one there is a different coin in the intro which I think might be a rupee because of the writing and the building on it.

[chicovargas]

It is a mexican coin...and is written in SPANISH....the translation is "United Mexican States"... Hi...from Puerto Rico..."The Caribbean Shining Star"

[nepheron]

There is two coins in this ible. One is a rupee, one is a peso.

[ChrysN]

There are two different coins the one in the last image is Mexican and the one in the intro appears to be a Pakistani rupee

[cowscankill]

Hmm... The solder... I would try using a little less solder perhaps. It is a nice looking coin!

[nepheron]

Thanks!

I use extra solder on purpose because I think It compliments the brass colors, and adds a nice transition color between the bronze coin and brass bale.