There’s nothing better than the sweet clatter of foreign coins.
It’s a sound that instantly brings back memories–
European gardens, quaint markets, Romantic era architecture,
Parisian pastries, long walks in Hyde Park, and lots of Shakespearian theatre.
After seeing Jessica’s charm bracelet DIY, my mother-in-law fell in love with the idea of wearing her beautiful collection of antique, foreign coins. I kind of did, too. Luckily, I still had a few pretty Euros and Pounds left over from my time abroad. My bracelet was the first attempt, and my mother-in-law’s will be my second.
Please don’t be fooled by the charming simplicity of this pretty little thing. It’s quite the doozy if you’re no skilled handy-man by trade.
You’ll need:
a charmless bracelet*
8/9mm matching split rings*
a collection of your favorite coins (I used 9)
a square scrap of wood
a drill with a drill bit made for working with metal (Home Depot)
a pair of needle nose pliers*
coin polish (only if you wish)
*can all be found in the jewelry section of a craft store
Directions:
- Practice on a penny. Measure out where you’d like to drill. It’s easiest if you make a mark on each coin with a Sharpie. This is the perfect time to get the feel of your drill gun and the amount of pressure it takes to actually create the hole. Hold the penny with pliers in one hand and press the penny to the scrap of wood. Drill down into coin, keeping wood as your safety so you don’t drill too far.
- When comfortable, grab your first ‘real’ coin, place it on your square scrap of wood, and begin to drill your holes. Apply necessary pressure and drill straight down so you don’t bend your bit. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. You don’t want to rush and risk messing up precious memories!
- Once each of your coins have seen the drill, sand away any rough edges around the hole. This will keep you & your clothes from catching a snag. You can also polish your coins to make them look shiny and new. Jessica suggested using Brasso, a formula meant for cleaning metals.
- With your pliers, attach the split rings to your coins. This process is much like putting keys onto a key ring.
- Lay each of your coins out and decide on an aesthetically pleasing order. I decided to arrange mine by mixing size and color.
- Finally, use the pliers to attach your coins to the bracelet. I counted out each of the links and spaced mine evenly. You’ll also want to take into consideration where you’ll need to clasp your bracelet so it fits properly.
Word to the Wise: don’t forget safety while operating your drill gun.
I may have walked away with a few new bumps and scrapes.
Can’t wait for mine!
So great!
Kris, I’ve got something in the works for you!
I have some cute little wired bangles like this. I’ll have to send you pictures. Love yours!