coin necklace

this is a simple way to make a necklace from a coin

Step 1: Supplies

you will need
hammer
string
coin
medium nail
large nail
piece of wire(about 2 cm) not in picture
pliers not in picture
wood or something else to nail into( helps if you have 2 large planks)in picture but to small

Comments

[christian1324]

if i would use a 1 oz. fine silver one dollar coin would it be any harder than a quarter? or would it b the same?

[Solderguy]

A dremel would have made a cleaner hole without warping the metal. Also, a gold dollar would be nicer to wear instead of just a quarter.

[king kolton9]

could use a drill?

[Laniac97]

It looks like a gold quarter. Very very nice design though i will DEFINATELY make one of these.

[airsoftjim123]

xrobevansx, tell me, whey is it that amusement parks and museums are able to stamp coins, completely changing the appearance.

[xrobevansx]

Probably because the penny no longer is distinguishable as currency and can not possibly be used as such. The quarter used here is clearly a quarter but can not be used as such, especially in a machine like a toll booth or parking meter or soda machine...

[airsoftjim123]

FINE!! ill say this it cant be used anymore.

[xrobevansx]

Sounds good to me, like I said...I don't care what you do or if it is illegal or legal...I was just pointing out the law.

[jtobako]

Are you a lawyer or paralegal? If so you should be aware of the fact that the US Mint has said that it is acceptable to use currency as an art project. The law says that you cannot SPEND the money altered, not that you can't alter it with a provision that you can't melt it down for the metal value DURING SPECIFIC TIME PERIODS when the metal value of the coin exceeds the face value. And, since the price of metals has come down, this no longer applies.

[xrobevansx]

United States Code TITLE 18 PART I CHAPTER 17 331.

[grund]

It's perfectly legal in the U.S. , despite your interpretation of the US Code. See the US Treasury FAQ which states:

This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage: however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent.

[atombomb1945]

I would like to point out that TITLE 18 PART I CHAPTER 17 331 refers to money that is being altered, mangled, or changed that will be then used for currency. Such as changing the weight or size of a nickel so that a vending machine would think that it was a quarter. Same goes for trying to alter a foreign coin for the same reasons. It also applies to if you are changing the coin and then trying to sell it as a "rare" or misprint coin. An example of this would be making double sided quarters or changing the date and mint stamps on a coin. This Instructable has nothing to do with any of the above US Code.

[xrobevansx]

No, I am sorry, but you are mistaken. Nowhere in the code does it read that the money will be intended to be used as currency:

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.

So you see, if the money is minted by the US, (it is) and the coin is "current", that is: in use and accepted as currency, then ANY defemation/mutilation is illegal, nit just that which renders it "fake" or unacceptable as currency.

This instructable clearly falls under these guidelines.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_00000331----000-.html

[paqrat]

The key word is "fraudulently". The word refers to perpetrating a fraud by passing the coin off as something it is not. In the case of a silver or gold coin that has been filed or lightened, its value has been reduced, so passing it off as an unaltered coin would be perpetrating a fraud on the person the coin is passed to. Another possible fraud would be altering it in some way and attempting to pass it off as a mint error. Incidentally, in the law or guideline, the word "pass" or "passes" refers to it being used as currency. Something I'd like to to hear explained is what the word "utter" means in the above context.

I believe in just about each instructable about working with a coin someone raises this defacemant law. Surely by now its time to lay this thing to rest. If the fed was after people who alter coins (one of the no-nos in the law) then the companies who gold plate or colorize coins and then pedal them on TV are more likely to have the FBI knocking on their door. Personally I haven't seen anything in the news about these companies being busted but maybe the feds are just trying to lure us all into a sense of false security and so that as soon as we drill that hole in that quarter or make a pendant of a nickel they can swoop down on us and prosecute and/or persecute us to their hearts content.

[srohwer]

Doesn't "fraudulently" mean the act was done with an attempt to perpetrate a fraud? So it's not ANY alterations that is illegal, only FRAUDULENT alterations that are illegal. "In the broadest sense, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual." (Wikipedia) I don't see how this Instructable does that. If the statute didn't include the qualifier "fraudulently" I would agree with you.

[xrobevansx]

I understand what you are saying...I just interpret the government as saying "intentional" in place of "fraudulently" in this case because I can't see how someone can "fraudulently" alter, deface, etc...They can do all those things for fraudulent purposes, but to fraudulently do those things? Doesn't make sense (to me.) Just like the next bit: How can someone POSSESS something? If they possess it...they legitimately and actually possess it. If the plan to do fraudulent actions with it...I guess THAT'S where the fraud comes in (to me.) You can possess a stolen radio. If you have no idea it's stolen, how are you "fraudulently" in possession of it? There is no deceit there, right? Even if you knew it was stolen, you aren't "fraudulently" in possesion...you simply are IN POSSESSION of stolen goods. Drug dealers aren't fraudulently in possession of drugs. They are charged with "POSSESSION of narcotics". Again, I read it as "intentional". If a person "INTENTIONALLY" alters, defaces, etc...it's illegal. Drop a penny on the railroad tracks by mistake? I guess you're off the hook. Feh... symantics. Plus you are adding in GOVERNMENT symantics....in any case, as I stated before...I don't care what people do with their coins.

[paqrat]

An example of how a coin might be fraudently altered took place many years ago . I am sure more modern examples exist but this one stuck with me when I read of it. At the time of the occurance there was a coin in circulation called a V nickel. It was called this because of a large Roman numeral V or 5 on one side. At the same time there was a $5.00 gold coin in circulation An enterprising con man who also happened to be deaf and mute took these nickels and gold plated them. His method of passing them was quite simple. He would go into the store and purchase an item for 5 cents. He would then place one of the gold plated V nickels on the counter to pay for it. If the clerk mistook it for a $5,00 and gave him $4.95 change he pocketed his change. If not he simply left with his purchase. I think his defense was that he never stated that the coin was a $5.00 gold piece, in fact, he was unable to state anything. I cannot recall reading if this defense worked.

[king kolton9]

but it also said that if its still accepeted as currencey its illegal but if its old enough that its not accepeted as currency then technicley its legal lol imagin if i could get free games at arcades lol

[airsoftjim123]

Can you just stop busting on my instructable? OK,it's illegal, who cares

[freeza36]

don't let them tell you this. Have you ever seen those machines that crush, and stamp pennies? Its ok.

[xrobevansx]

exactly what I've been saying...

[nitrox027]

I've had this same conversation with an executive at a local bank, who states it is frowned upon but not illegal if there is no intent to defraud the government

[xrobevansx]

***I meant how can someone FRAUDULENTLY possess something in the 1st paragraph.

[atombomb1945]

Ok Robe, you win. Are you going to turn in the half of the Instructables community for making jewelery out of coins?

[xrobevansx]

Wow! 1/2 of the Instructablers make coin jewelery? That's a lot. But no,. Again: I didn't mention it to "bust" anyone. It was more of a PSA or "heads up" if you will. You, the author, and the other 1/2 of the instructable community can make a city out of coins. Have at it. I really don't care.

[nikc12]

If I have a quarter in my possesion it is my property. I can do anything I want with it, so long as I don't then try and use it as legal tender. To expand upon my point, if I have a stack of $100 bills and wanted to light them on fire (not sure why anyone would want to do that) then that is my choice. They are "my property".

[xrobevansx]

I am not going to argue the point, I am merely giving you information. Make a car out of money for all I care.

[Atlas22]

actualy, there has been a guy wo covered his car w/ pennies, and made a bikini for his wife out of dimes. plus, if i had a quarter for everytime i hered this argument, id be a millionare

[hg341]

do you have to point out only the law that he broke and say nothig to help

[xrobevansx]

yep...that's about it...help what, anyway? Did your post "help"?

[RedneckAsian]

why you got to be such a stickler to the rules?

[xrobevansx]

Just trying to help someone by pointing out they are breaking the law...and posting it on the Internet! Not a "stickler", looking out for my fellow man is all.

[airsoftjim123]

nnygamer, actually some foreign coins are made with weaker metals so it would be easier to make.

[nnygamer]

I use old foreign coins that are pretty much worthless, some of them are quite fancy and look more like a pendant then a coin.

[hg341]

i might make some