Just got in a new shipment of excellent necklaces and earrings from Erica Weiner, including the American West Necklace which is available for $75.00.
“Two altered coins hang together from a 26” brass chain with crimped links. The nearly lost art of decorative coin-cutting has been done with a tiny saw and a steady hand for centuries, and we’re thrilled to be working with an American craftsman who continues the tradition. It’s totally legal to do this to currency, by the way (as long as it’s not done with intent to commit fraud). The history of these coins: Pennies commonly known as “Indian Head Cents” were manufactured by the US Mint between 1859 and 1909. They contain 88% copper and 12% nickel (so people with nickel allergies, steer clear). The head is cut away, leaving a silhouette of a Native American dude in a feather headdress. On the reverse side, parts of a laurel wreath are visible. All of the metal around the “Buffalo Nickel” has been removed so the animal stands free. These 5-cent coins, produced between 1913 and 1938, featured an American Bison on one side and a portrait of a Native American on the other, which was actually an artist’s composite of three men from different tribes. The face is just barely visible on the reverse side of the buffalo.”