You've Got Questions?
I'VE GOT ANSWERS
You are always more than welcome to contact me with any questions you might have about my process. However, here are some of the questions that seem to pop up … uh, well, frequently.
Isn’t it illegal to deface US currency?
No not at all — at least, not in this case. Those laws were put into place to prevent people from defrauding others. In other words, changing a quarter to look like a Susan B. Anthony dollar is illegal. Changing a one dollar bill to look like a ten dollar bill is illegal. Shaving off the outside of a silver coin making it slightly smaller while collecting the shavings is illegal. (And, incidentally, also why modern currency has ridges! It’s so you can easily see if someone’s tried to shave a coin.) Making a ring from any coin is absolutely legal in the United States.
Have you seen the machines that you put a penny into along with a couple of quarters, turn a crank, and flatten your penny into a souvenir? That is no more illegal than turning a coin into a ring!
I saw a BEAUTIFUL ring on Etsy/Wish/eBay that cost MUCH less than yours. Why are your rings so expensive?
Those listings are probably fraudulent. If the ring costs less than the coin it’s supposedly made from, then they certainly must be.
There is a fairly tight community of people who legitimately create rings from coins. Our pictures are stolen all the time by people who then make listings on other websites. What you will actually receive from them will not look remotely like the pictures. They will be cast rings or, in some cases, rings made with a similar process but with fake coins. You will not be satisfied with their product and will have very little recourse.
Of course there are many talented ring makers who sell on places like Etsy and eBay; however, they’re not selling Morgan Dollar coin rings for $30!
Every picture you see on this site is a ring that I have created, and I can honestly say that with hundreds of customers, none of them are dissatisfied.
What coins make the best rings?
This is very subjective. Coins that are at least 80% silver tend to be wearable for most of the population. Most US “silver” coins are 90% silver, so they’re very good to use.
For men, the Morgan Dollars are my most popular seller. For men with very large fingers, in addition to the Morgan Dollars, I sell a lot of rings made from .999 silver rounds, like the Aztec Calendar coin or the John Wick Continental Replica coin.
For women, half dollars, quarters, or similar sized rounds tend to be the most purchased, depending on the size needed. Many foreign coins are also very popular with women due to having a much more elegant design than most US coins.
Why do a lot of coin rings have different shapes? Shouldn’t they all be the same?
The coin rings that are conical in shape have maintained the same size on both sides of the ring. In other words, if you ask for a size 9.5, they are 9.5 on the “reed” side, as well as the “cut” side — the side of the ring created from punching out the center. These rings will never look even, as the “reed” side is always thicker than the “cut” side. While the size consistent may seem nice, I do not personally enjoy making conically shaped rings as I don’t enjoy their aesthetic.
My rings look even on both sides because they are actually different sizes on each end. They typically vary by as much as half a size. So if you order a 9.5, the ring will measure 9.25 on the reed side, and 9.75 on the cut side. As a result, they look perfectly even and are extremely comfortable to wear. They also have a huge benefit: while they fit perfectly most of the time, if your fingers swell or shrink with the weather or humidity, you can often simply flip the orientation of the ring and find it extremely comfortable until your finger “shape” returns to normal.
Additionally, my process allows me to make rings rounded or flat-walled. Check out some pictures to see what I mean!
How do I know what size ring I wear?
If you know the size of a ring you own and can tell that it’s either perfect, or just a little small or a little big, we can make some very educated guesses.
However, in all cases, the easiest thing to do is to go to a jewelry store or the jewelry department at any store that has one (Dillard’s, JCPenney, Target, Walmart, etc.) and ask to be measured.
I can also give you a link to a ring sizing measuring tool you can purchase off of Amazon for around $6 that you can use now and for the rest of your life!
I have a VERY special coin that I’d like you to make into a ring. Can you do that?
Absolutely. I’ve done it many times, and I’ve never had a problem. However, coins DO occasionally split or otherwise become damaged during this process. I’m punching holes in your coin, heating it to blistering temperatures, and putting them through a lot of stress. You need to know that there’s a possibility that your coin might not survive the process — especially if it’s significantly worn to begin with.
I cannot be responsible for the destruction of your coin in these situations, but I will do everything in my power to ensure this doesn’t happen. And if the worst happens, I’ll do everything I can to attempt to repair the coin (or ring, depending on how far into the process I am).
How much ARE your rings?
Well, that depends on many factors, but generally speaking, silver rings cost $80 for quarters, $120 for half-dollars, $200 for dollars, $250 for most one-ounce silver rounds, and $300 for two-from-one wedding sets.
However, these prices can vary depending on the price of physical silver and the actual coins used. And sometimes I offer special deals. Just ask!