Coin Jewelry

Jewelry that incorporates a genuine coin or is designed to hold one. Coin jewelry can include pendants, necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, cuff links, and other wearable pieces.

Coin Mounting

The jewelry setting that holds a coin. Coin mounting is the broad term and can refer to pendant, ring, bracelet, earring, or cuff-link mountings.

Remember: The mounting is usually sold without the coin.

Coin Bezel

The frame surrounding the outer edge of a coin. Coin bezel is often used interchangeably with coin pendant mounting, although bezels can also be incorporated into rings, bracelets, earrings, and cuff links.

Setting

A general jewelry term for the part that holds a gemstone, coin, or other object in place. A coin bezel is one type of setting.

Unmounted Coin

A loose coin that has not yet been placed into a bezel or another jewelry setting.

Mounted Coin

A coin that has already been installed in a jewelry mounting. A mounted coin may be sold as a pendant, ring, bracelet, or another finished piece.

Finished Coin Jewelry

A complete piece of jewelry that includes both the coin and the mounting. It is ready to wear unless the product description states that a chain or another component is sold separately.

Custom Coin Mounting

A mounting made or adapted for a particular coin, design, metal, stone arrangement, or jewelry style that is not available as a standard stock item.

Learn more about custom-made coin mountings .

Coin Pendant Mounting

A coin setting with a bail that allows the mounted coin to hang from a chain or necklace.

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Coin Ring Mounting

A ring designed with a setting that holds a specific coin. The coin usually forms the centerpiece of the ring.

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Coin Bracelet Mounting

A bracelet designed with one or more settings for coins. Depending on the style, the coin may form the center of the bracelet or be one of several coins used in the design.

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Coin Cuff-Link Mounting

A matched pair of cuff-link settings designed to hold two coins of the same size. Unless stated otherwise, the coins are not included.

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Coin Earring Mounting

A matched pair of earring settings designed to hold two coins. Coin earring mountings may use posts, dangles, leverbacks, or other earring components.

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Coin Necklace

A necklace featuring a coin as the primary design element. The term may refer to a coin pendant supplied with a chain or to a necklace design that incorporates a coin.

Coin Pendant

A completed pendant that contains a coin. This differs from an empty coin pendant mounting, which is designed for a coin but is normally sold without one.

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Coin Ring

A finished ring that already contains a coin. This differs from a coin ring mounting, which is the empty jewelry setting.

Screw-Top Coin Bezel

A bezel with a small screw near the top. Removing or loosening the screw allows the bezel to open enough for the correct coin to be inserted. The screw is then replaced and gently tightened.

Screw-top coin bezels allow both faces of the coin to remain visible.

Prong Coin Bezel

A setting that uses small metal prongs positioned around the coin. The prongs are carefully tightened over the coin's edge to hold it in place.

Prong settings should normally be installed by a qualified jeweler.

Two-Sided Coin Display

A mounting design that allows both faces of the coin to remain visible. This allows either side of the coin to be displayed without removing the coin from the mounting.

Coin Station

A coin setting incorporated into a bracelet or necklace as part of the design. A piece may contain one coin station or several coin stations.

Coin Diameter

The distance across the face of a round coin, measured from one edge to the opposite edge through the center. Coin and mounting diameters are normally listed in millimeters.

Coin Thickness

The measurement from one face of the coin to the other. Two coins can have the same diameter but different thicknesses, so both measurements may be important.

Millimeter

The standard unit used for coin and jewelry measurements. One millimeter is approximately 0.039 inches. Product descriptions often abbreviate millimeter as mm.

Inside Diameter

The usable interior measurement of a bezel or setting. This is the area into which the coin must fit.

Coin Fit

The compatibility between a particular coin and mounting. Proper fit depends on the actual dimensions of the coin and the construction of the mounting, not simply on the coin's approximate size.

Denomination

The monetary value marked on a coin, such as $1, $2.50, $5, 2 Pesos, or 10 Pesos. Denomination can help identify a coin, but it should not be used as the only measurement when choosing a mounting.

Coin Type or Series

The specific coin design or issue, such as American Eagle, Krugerrand, Maple Leaf, Liberty, Indian Head, Panda, or Centenario. Different series with similar denominations may have different dimensions.

Actual Coin Size

The coin's measured diameter and thickness rather than an assumed measurement based on its name, metal content, or denomination.

Manufacturing Tolerance

The small amount by which the actual measurement of a manufactured item can vary from its listed measurement. Coins and jewelry mountings may both have minor variations.

Bail

The component at the top of a pendant through which the chain passes. The bail connects the coin bezel to the necklace.

Bail Opening

The usable space inside the bail. The opening must be large enough for the chain and its end component or clasp to pass through.

Chain Thickness

The width or diameter of a necklace chain. A thick chain may not fit through a small bail even when the chain looks proportionate to the pendant.

Chain End

The end component that must pass through the bail when adding a pendant to a chain. It can be wider than the chain itself and should be included when checking fit.

Polished

A smooth, reflective finish that gives the metal a bright and traditional jewelry appearance.

Plain Bezel

A simple bezel without a prominent decorative border. A plain bezel generally keeps visual attention on the coin.

Rope Edge

A border with a twisted appearance resembling a rope. Rope edges are popular for traditional gold coin jewelry.

Twisted Wire

A decorative border formed from wire elements twisted together. The result may resemble rope but can have a more open or handcrafted appearance.

Diamond-Cut

A decorative surface treatment created by cutting small reflective facets into the metal. Diamond-cut describes the finish and does not mean the mounting contains diamonds.

Fluted

A pattern of repeated grooves or ridges. Fluting adds texture and reflects light differently from a smooth polished surface.

Scalloped

A border made with repeated rounded curves, creating a decorative edge around the coin.

Beaded Edge

A border made with a series of small rounded details resembling beads.

Filigree

A decorative style using delicate metalwork, open spaces, curves, wires, or scroll-like details.

Nugget Style

A textured jewelry design inspired by the uneven appearance of natural gold nuggets.

Diamond-Accented

A mounting that contains one or more genuine diamonds as decorative accents. The product description should identify the diamond quantity, quality, or total weight when applicable.

Rhodium Accent

A section of jewelry finished with rhodium to create a contrasting white appearance, often used around diamonds or decorative details on yellow-gold jewelry.

Karat

A measure of the purity of gold, abbreviated with the letter k. Karat should not be confused with carat, which is commonly used to describe gemstone weight.

10k Gold

Gold alloy containing 10 parts gold out of 24, combined with other metals that provide strength and influence the color.

14k Gold

Gold alloy containing 14 parts gold out of 24. It is widely used in fine jewelry because it combines substantial gold content with practical durability.

Yellow Gold

A gold alloy designed to retain the familiar warm yellow appearance associated with gold.

White Gold

A gold alloy with a white or silvery appearance. White-gold jewelry may also receive a rhodium finish to enhance its bright white color.

Rose Gold

A gold alloy with a warm pink or reddish tone, generally created by combining gold with copper and other alloy metals.

Sterling Silver

A silver alloy containing 92.5% silver. It is commonly marked Sterling, Ster, or 925.

Platinum

A naturally white precious metal known for its density, weight, and durability. Platinum jewelry is different from a platinum coin, which refers to the metal content of the coin itself.

Solid Gold

An item made from gold alloy throughout rather than having only a thin gold-colored surface layer. Solid gold can be 10k, 14k, 18k, or another stated karat.

Gold-Plated

A base-metal item covered with a thin layer of gold. Gold-plated jewelry is not the same as solid-karat gold.

Gold-Filled

A base-metal item with a mechanically bonded gold-alloy layer. Gold-filled jewelry contains more gold than ordinary gold plating but is not solid gold.

Hallmark or Quality Mark

A stamped or engraved mark indicating metal quality, such as 10k, 14k, 585, Sterling, or 925. The location and appearance of the mark can vary by item.

Obverse

The front or principal face of a coin. It commonly displays a portrait, national symbol, or other primary design.

Reverse

The opposite side of the coin from the obverse. It often shows the denomination, emblem, landmark, animal, or another secondary design.

Coin Edge

The narrow outer surface between the two faces of the coin. The edge may be plain, lettered, decorated, or reeded.

Reeded Edge

A coin edge with a series of narrow parallel grooves. These grooves are part of the coin and should not be confused with a decorative fluted or rope border on the mounting.

Bullion Coin

A coin valued primarily for its precious-metal content, although rarity, condition, and collector demand can also affect its value. Examples include many American Eagle, Maple Leaf, and Krugerrand coins.

Numismatic Coin

A coin valued partly or primarily for its rarity, age, condition, history, variety, or collector interest rather than only for its metal content.

Troy Ounce

The traditional unit used to measure precious metals. A troy ounce is different from the ordinary household ounce used for many other goods.

Fractional Gold Coin

A gold coin containing less than one troy ounce of gold, such as 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, or 1/2 oz.

Coin Type

A distinct design or version within a broader coin series. Two coins with the same denomination may be identified as different types and may require different mountings.

Coin Year or Date

The year shown on or assigned to a coin. The year can matter when a coin series changed dimensions or design during its production.

Replica or Commemorative Piece

An item made to resemble a coin or created to commemorate a person, place, or event. Its dimensions may differ from those of the official coin it resembles, so it should be measured before a mounting is selected.