Squished Penny Destination Necklace - Designer Jewelry

 Here is another fun thing we have done with coins. 

When we travel, we always look for a "penny squisher" wherever we go. Most tourist sites have them somewhere. 

Since before most of the girls were born, I have gotten these wherever we travel. I remember the first time I saw these. I was at the statue of Liberty in New York and there was a man there with a mobile unit and we bought one. Since that time, I have never seen a mobile unit but have seen them change and grow over time to become self cranking and with up to four different pennies to choose from for each site.


I always wanted to make jewelry out of them but never got around to it.... Until last year. I was working on it and Princess number one said she would help me make them for the girls for Christmas. 

I bought several types of chain and several different fixings and copper beads. I then drilled holes in each penny with the 1/16 bit and let Princess number one at it. 

Each girl had their "stash" of coins that they had collected and we had a few nickles and quarters we acquired at Disneyland but most of the girls didn't want the silver on their set so we thought we would use them for something else. 

Princess number one asked the girls if they wanted more on the necklace or the bracelet etc. She then went to work and designed a different necklace, bracelet and earring set for each princess using the coins they collected over the years. Some had more than others depending on school trips etc. 

You can see by the photos of the two princesses that are home that the sets are very different. The other three have their sets with them so I couldn't show you but Princess number five wears her set often. She can't wait until she is 14 so she can get her ears pierced and wear the earrings. It is tradition that we don't get ears pierced until the girls are 14 and old enough to take care of them themselves. Also, 12 they advance to the young adult group at our church and at 16 they get to drive so I always thought it was a nice thing to look forward to at 14. 

Hope you enjoyed the ideas of things to make with coins. I still have another project I am working on but probably won't get to that for awhile yet so I will share that project when I finish it.