Spartan Mask Coin Paracord Bracelet
Our Spartan Mask Coin Jewelry pieces are hand-cut and finished from either an Eisenhower Dollar Coin or a Walking Liberty Half Dollar Coin. They make unique jewelry pieces, so I thought I'd show you how I make them.
In an earlier blog post, we talked about the history of the Eisenhower (Ike) Dollar Coin. We also covered the history of the Walking Liberty Half Dollar. You can read that article here: Walking Liberty Half Dollar History.
Spartan Mask Coin Necklace
Creating the Pattern and Cutting the Mask
I found a free Spartan Mask pattern online and printed it directly onto sticker (decal) paper. I cut out the paper pattern and placed it directly onto my coin. The trick was getting the sticker lined up correctly with the Eisenhower Dollar or Walking Liberty Half Dollar. You'll see later in this tutorial why this is so important.
Using a traditional jewelry saw and size 4 saw blades, I cut out the basic shape of the mask. I have to cut the coin slowly and methodically. This step actually takes the most time in the project.
Drilling or Punching a Hole
You can drill a hole for the hanging loop on the mask, but I have a metal hole punch that makes centering and punching the hole a breeze.
I then remove the sticker I used as a pattern and double-check that everything is centered and even. You can see in this photo why lining up the original pattern properly before I started was key.
Cleaning Up the Edges
Using traditional jewelry files and a Dremel tool, I remove any burrs and irregularities from the jewelry saw cuts. It's really important that the edges be highly finished so they don't catch on clothing or skin. We pride ourselves on our jewelry being comfortable to wear.
Shaping and Finishing the Spartan Mask
The Spartan Mask altered coin pendant can be worn as-is, but I add a bend to it to make it more comfortable to wear and to make it look more like a real mask. Using my arbor press, a handmade negative, and a piece of stainless steel stock, I press it into a curve. It's really important not to overdo the curve or push the press too quickly; otherwise, the metal of the coin can become stressed and crack.
Finally, each Spartan Mask Coin Jewelry piece is given a patina and coated with a protective clear coat. The darker patina helps the original coin lettering and details stand out while the clear coat helps protect the finished piece.
But Is Making Jewelry from Coins Legal?
U.S. law addresses the fraudulent alteration of coins in Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States Code. The statute prohibits fraudulently altering, defacing, mutilating, impairing, diminishing, falsifying, scaling, or lightening U.S. coins. CoinCrafters creates clearly identified altered-coin jewelry rather than altering coins for fraudulent use as currency.
At CoinCrafters, we make jewelry from altered coins and are proud of our original, handcrafted work.
Learn More About the Coins
Want to learn about the history of the Eisenhower Dollar used to create our Spartan Mask jewelry? Read our Eisenhower Dollar Coin History.
You can also visit the CoinCrafters YouTube channel for more videos showing our coin jewelry and craftsmanship.