Each coin ring is as unique as the one who wears it. You want one for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, but it's got to be the right one. 

That's why we put together this buyer's guide. Follow these tips and you'll be sure to find the perfect coin ring to reflect you own (or a loved one's) sense of style.

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Find a coin that speaks to you, one that means something special to you.

You’re more likely to love your ring if it has some sort of personal meaning.

Rings made from coins of a specific year – like those in our Observance and Chronicle Collection – may do just the trick. Your or a child’s birth year. The year a loved one passed away. The year you graduated from college. The year you beat cancer. The year you and your spouse got married. The possibilities are endless.

Or choose a ring that connects you with a favorite group, like something from our Finding Your Tribe Collection. If you love the Olympics, we have rings with the Olympic Ring emblem. Or maybe you are in recovery and want to mark a period of sobriety with a Recovery Medallion coin ring. Or maybe you are into a Buddhism ring or an ancient Egyptian mythology ring. We have coins that represent all sorts of interests and groups, and are constantly adding more.

Another option is a ring that relates to a meaningful location. The US Mint issued silver state coins that make great coin rings, allowing you to show pride in your home state. Or maybe your heritage is from another land, or you had a once-in-a-lifetime trip to India or Europe or Africa. A foreign coin ring may connect you to your past or remind you of that perfect vacation, like those found in our ‘Foreign Influence Collection’.

Or maybe a good ‘ol all American Morgan Silver Dollar coin ring or US Silver Eagle coin ring (like those found in our ‘American Pride Collection’) will do the trick – showing your pride and patriotism for the red-white-and-blue.

Regardless of the reason, just make sure you choose a coin that has personal meaning, connects you in some way to a specific time, place, or group.

Choose a coin that has detail around the outer half of the coin, not just in the center of the coin.

The nature of coin rings is that the center of the coin is removed, or ‘punched out’, to provide a way to create the ring’s shape. So it is important to find a coin that doesn’t have its most important imagery right in the center of it. Lots of coins fit the bill, so it makes sense to imagine what detail the ring will retain once it is formed.

The exception to this rule is when you are most concerned with showing the coin's year. In this instance, most coins (but not all!) have their dates along the outer half of the surface and work well for this particular type of ring.

Choose a silver coin unless there’s a compelling reason not to.

While a few non-silver coins make good coin rings, silver coins make the best rings, by far.

Silver is just soft enough to forge into rings while still preserving its detail, yet durable enough to stand up to daily wear. Silver is hypoallergenic, meaning it won’t irritate or discolor your skin. Silver can be finished with a rich patina or polished to a bright shine.

But if you do decide on a brass or copper coin, make sure it is ‘sealed’ so that the risk of skin irritation is reduced. Sealers wear off over time, so you may need to get it resealed occasionally.

One imperative - you must stay away from ‘clad’ coins – coins made with a copper center and plated with nickel on the outside. These metals just do not make great rings. Someone who offers you a clad ring is taking your money while hoping you can’t find them in a couple of weeks when the ring becomes a liability.

Work with a reputable coin ring artisan.

Finding some crafter on Etsy or at your local craft fare to buy a coin ring from can be hit or miss. They may make great rings, or they may be new and inexperienced. They may be honest and dependable, or they may be out to make a quick buck.

And there’s a lot of ‘junk coinage’ out there. Coins that are worn and lack detail. Chinese knock offs that are difficult to distinguish from the real item until it's too late. The unscrupulous artisan may use just such a coin for your ring, either through ignorance or just to save a few dollars.

Find an artisan, like Silver State Foundry, who makes all their rings to order and hand selects each coin from reputable coin dealers.  Find an artisan who pays attention to the important details, like the fit and finish.

Find an artisan who wants you to be as proud of your ring as they were in making it, someone who stands behind all their work with a money back guarantee. Your happiness should be their goal. 

Don’t buy on price alone.

While it isn’t as involved as choosing a house or a car, your coin ring isn’t a ‘throw away’ decision either. If chosen right, it is a work of art and piece of history you’ll be proud to wear and treasure for years to come.

From that perspective, it just doesn’t make sense to buy the cheapest ring you can find.

And most ‘bargains’ aren’t what they’re made out to be. You might get nickel-and-dimed for shipping, your choice of finish, or resizing. Or it might be a bait-and-switch – enticing you with a low price for a ‘clad’ ring, only to offer you a steep price to upgrade to the silver ring you really want.

As Grandpa said, ‘Quality endures, but it isn’t free.'

Finally, don’t stress out over your selection, have some fun with it!

Browse our collections. Try each on in your mind. Imagine what each will feel like on your hand. Hear the compliments you’ll enjoy from strangers and coworkers. Think about what your ring will mean to you. Craft the story you’ll tell family and friends about how you chose your ring.

Most coin rings cost less than a good pair of shoes or a dinner out, but will give you years of enjoyment. So enjoy the process of finding the perfect design – we look forward to hand forging it just for you!

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Browse Our Collections

Wide Band Collection	Medium Band Collection
American Pride Collection	Foreign Influence Collection
Finding Your Tribe Collection	Observance & Chronicle Collection