As many exhibits from the world’s highest rated museums suggest, incorporating coins in jewelry was a common practice in ancient Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire. While you might think that coin jewelry was only a trend specific to the ancient world, let’s not forget that many of the coinage found in century old shipwrecks make their way into modern jewelry. From a collector’s perspective, however, only the ones manufactured in the period between the Victorian era and up to the 1960s are actually valuable. In case you’re new to vintage jewelry collecting, then here are the five major types of coin jewelry to focus on.

1. Victorian coin jewelry

Because these exquisite jewels produced between 1937 and 1901 are very rare, you can expect its price to rival that of an aged karat gold piece when one actually appears on the market. Featuring romantic elements like loving words, symbols or engraved names, most Victorian coin jewelry was fashioned into charms, typically left dangling on pins and bracelets. If we were to believe the legends, these marvelous pieces were actually crafted by lonely sailors and were gifted to their loved ones upon being reunited after months at sea.

2. Edwardian coin jewelry

Even though the Victorian influences were still present in accessory designs, between 1900 and 1914 jewelry makers started cutting off the non-decorative surfaces of the coins before affixing them to wearable pieces. The Edwardian coin jewelry stands out with the numerous frame filled decorative elements – profiles, animals, stars, so on and so forth – and required more delicate design work. During this period, the plain coin was considered too banal to be included in a piece of jewelry.

3. 1940s coin jewelry

The 1940s were marked by war both in Europe and the Pacific, so most pieces dating from this period are known in the collecting community as ‘sweetheart jewelry’. Coins that were readily available in trenches were heated until they got the shape of a dome, then drilled and attached together to create extraordinary decorations soldiers used to send home to the women in their lives. While bracelets are very common for the 1940s coin jewelry, with a bit of effort you can also find magnificent necklaces and pocket watch chains as well.

4. Coin jewelry made after WWII

The troubled times of the 1940s were immediately followed by the hippie period, a period when souvenir jewelry reigned supreme. Few of them actually contain precious metals, but pieces made of copper pennies from the 1960s for experimentation purposes are still in high demand among collectors. It goes without saying that these vintage accessories can be acquired at fairly reasonable prices.

5. Gold coin jewelry

Starting with the 1970s, there was a high demand for finely crafted pieces that incorporated gold coins. Perhaps the most famous keepsakes of the era consist of jewelry featuring gold Krugerrands, although rope design accessories affixed with chunky nuggets, and incorporating gemstone and diamond accents were very popular. They continue to be in high demand to this very day.