Ancient Coin in 14K Gold Mount

This is part of Chairish’s Fine Jewelry assortment.

We purchased this ancient coin from a coin dealer in Tucson, Arizona at the gem show—loving the silhouette of the high priestess holding a staff. Unfortunately, we lost the paperwork that came with it, so the origins of this coin are a mystery! But we still loved the images on the coin and its organic, asymmetrical shape, so we added a 14k gold mount to turn it into a beautiful pendant. The coin is made of iron and has a wonderful patina that colours it various shades of brown. On the front is what appears to be a priest or priestess, standing in front of symbols that suggest religious connotations or ceremonies . On the back is a letter, perhaps a variation of a Greek letter, though we weren’t able to identify it. We believe this unique coin is at least 1,200 years old.

The 14k gold mount brings additional beauty to the coin. It has a hand hammered texture on the front, complimenting the ancient, organic feel of the coin. The back reveals four prongs that hold the coin in place.

The pendant is 3/4” x 7/8” with a 5.4 x 8.6 mm bail. It weighs 6.7 grammes. The gold is unmarked but acid tests as 14k.