Coin pendants are beautiful examples of ancient coin jewelry. Made from coins of antiquity, all coin pendants are unique, and all carry the history of the ancient coin in the pendant, which may be thousands of years old. Some of the most beautiful coin pendants have been made from coins of importance to those with interest in ancient Judaism, ancient Christianity, or ancient history in general.

The coins minted under Herod Agrippa are used to make stunning one-of-a-kind coin pendants. There are several different coins from this time. The commonest prutah, or small-denomination bronze coin issued by Agrippa depicts an umbrella-shaped canopy with the words “ΆΓΡΙΠΆ BACIΛEWC” (“King Agrippa”) on the obverse. The reverse depicts three ears of barley bookended by two leaves, as well as the year. Coins like these make coin pendants that are infused with history and meaning.

Coin pendants have also been made with coins dating from the Second Revolt, of 132-135 CE, when the Jews rose up against Rome under the leadership of Simon Bar Kochba. The coins issued under Simon contained inscriptions such as “For the Freedom of Israel” or “The Redemption of Israel,” chosen to keep hope alive among the Jewish people. These coins make coin pendants that are stunning not only in their beauty, but in their meaning as well.

The prutah is another ancient Jewish coin, and a store of prutot was discovered during an archaeological excavation at Masada. For that reason, the coins are sometimes called Masada coins. Coin pendants made with Masada coins are commemorative of the time of the First Revolt, when Jews gathered at Masada after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The Romans laid siege to Masada in 72, and in 73 finally breached the wall, only to discover that the Jewish rebels within had chosen to die rather than be captured and enslaved or killed by the Romans. Think of how meaningful coin pendants made with Masada coins can be, particularly to someone who has been to Masada.

Coin pendants can be made with the ancient bronze coins known as widows mites, after the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament. These ancient coins were the coins given by the poverty-stricken widow in Jesus’ parable about sharing of wealth, and carry great meaning for many Christians.

There are an infinite number of types of jewelry that can be made from ancient coins. That is because all of them are as unique as the coin they incorporate, all of which are slightly different.