The most common question we receive about Roman coins is not "is this real" but "can I wear it as a pendant". The answer is yes, with the right mounting, the right coin selected for wearability, and the right understanding of what changes when a 1,800-year-old artefact becomes a piece of jewellery. This guide is the complete reference for converting authenticated Roman coins into wearable pendants — what kind of coin to choose, what mounting options exist, what affects value, and how Aurora handles the conversion.
Aurora's coin catalogue is at /collections/coins. The pendant-mounted catalogue is at /collections/medieval-pendants (covering medieval-style mountings) and individual mounted-coin listings in the main catalogue.
Which Roman coins make good pendants
Not every Roman coin is suited to pendant mounting. Three factors determine wearability:
1. Size and weight
- Denarius (silver, 17-20 mm, 2.5-3.5 g): ideal pendant size. Light enough for comfortable daily wear, large enough for portrait visibility. The most common Aurora coin pendant size.
- Antoninianus (silver/billon, 21-24 mm, 3-5 g): excellent pendant size with slightly more visual impact than denarius.
- Sestertius (orichalcum, 32-36 mm, 22-30 g): heavy. Wearable as a pendant but the weight is noticeable. Best as occasional-wear or formal pendant rather than daily-wear.
- Aureus (gold, 18-22 mm, 5-8 g): ideal pendant. Gold is chemically inert (no skin-contact concerns), and the visual gravitas of an authenticated Roman gold coin is hard to match.
- As / dupondius (bronze, 24-30 mm, 8-14 g): wearable but the bronze metal can show skin-contact patina over years of daily wear. Best with occasional wear or a back-of-coin protective coating.
2. Portrait clarity
A pendant is worn for visibility. A coin with a sharp portrait visible from arm's length makes a much stronger pendant than a worn coin with indistinct details. Grade matters more for pendants than for collection pieces — what looks good in a numismatic display case may look indistinct hanging from a neckchain.
For Aurora's pendant-mounted coins, we typically select coins in Very Fine (VF) condition or better, where the portrait remains crisp and the legend is legible. Slightly worn coins are still beautiful pendants but command lower prices.
3. Coin orientation and surface integrity
The coin's high points (the central portrait area, the reverse design's high relief) face outward on the pendant. The mounting needs to grip the coin's edge without obscuring the design. Coins with broken edges, perforations (some ancient coins were drilled in antiquity for personal use), or surface damage on the design face are less suitable.
Mounting options
Five mounting approaches are documented in both ancient and modern practice:
1. Bezel-set mount (most common)
A custom-shaped bezel — a metal rim — is fitted around the coin's edge and soldered closed. The bezel typically has a small loop at the top through which the chain passes. This is the standard high-quality mounting, used for both ancient (post-Roman period — Roman emperors did wear coin pendants) and modern conversion. Material choices: 925 silver (most common modern), 14k or 18k gold (premium modern), bronze (period-style).
2. Bail mount
A "bail" (a curved metal loop) is soldered to the top edge of the coin, allowing a chain to pass directly through. Less material than a bezel mount, lower cost. The risk: the solder joint is the failure point — a poorly-made bail can detach. Quality bails are reinforced and use period-appropriate solder chemistry.
3. Pierced and chain-threaded
The coin is drilled with a small hole near the top edge, and the chain passes directly through. This was the most common ancient method — many surviving Roman coins show period-drilled holes. Modern piercing of an unholed ancient coin permanently damages it and reduces value by 30-60%. Aurora does not pierce un-holed coins; we only use the pierced-mount option for coins that already carry ancient drilled holes.
The "wear-holes" distinction
Some Roman coins were drilled in antiquity for wear by the original owners — these are real artefacts of Roman daily life, not damage. A Roman coin with a documented ancient drill hole near the top edge is a legitimate pendant in its original form; we mount these without further modification, retaining the historical authenticity.
4. Wire-wrap setting
The coin is held by wire wrapped around its edge in a decorative pattern. Lower-quality modern conversions use this method because it requires no soldering. Aurora typically avoids wire-wrap settings — they show wear quickly and don't hold the coin securely.
5. Period-appropriate mounting
For collectors who want a coin pendant in the original period style, Aurora can custom-mount coins in late Roman or Byzantine bezel styles, with bronze or silver bezels modelled on surviving examples from the 4th-6th centuries. These are the most expensive mounting option (custom craftwork) but produce the most historically-grounded result.
What mounting does to coin value
This is the critical buyer concern: does mounting a Roman coin reduce its value?
For ancient drill-holed coins: no
A Roman coin that was drilled in antiquity has been a pendant for 1,800 years. Mounting it in a modern chain doesn't change its archaeological status. Value is determined by the coin (rarity, condition, era) plus the antiquity of the wear-hole as a historical artefact.
For un-drilled coins, period-appropriate bezel mount: minimal impact
A bezel-set coin in 925 silver or 14k gold, mounted without modifying the coin itself, retains 80-95% of its value as a free-standing coin. The bezel can be cut away later if a future owner wants to display the coin separately. The mounting adds the bezel's material cost (€50-200 for silver, €150-500 for gold).
For un-drilled coins, modern piercing: 30-60% value loss
Modern drilling permanently damages the coin. Aurora does not perform this conversion. We sell coins with ancient drilled holes as legitimate ancient pendants, and we sell unmounted coins for buyers to convert (or not) at their discretion. We will not drill an undrilled ancient coin.
Legal and ethical considerations
The legal framework for coin ownership applies equally to coin pendants — see are ancient Roman coins legal to own. Two pendant-specific concerns:
Cultural property documentation
A coin with documented pre-1970 provenance + a bezel mount is uncontroversial in all major jurisdictions. A coin without provenance documentation + a modern bezel mount faces the same import restrictions as the unmounted coin would.
"Wear-and-tear" insurance
Pendant-mounted ancient coins should be insured against loss or damage at their replacement value. Aurora-mounted pendants ship with a documentation packet (provenance + authentication + valuation) suitable for insurance applications.
Aurora's coin pendant process
For buyers who want to commission a coin pendant from Aurora:
- Select the coin from /collections/coins or our pendant-ready inventory.
- Choose mounting style (modern bezel in silver/gold, period-appropriate bezel, or bail).
- Aurora's metalsmith partner in Belgium custom-mounts the coin without modification.
- Final piece includes: the coin, a sturdy chain in matched metal, original authentication documentation, and the written lifetime authenticity guarantee.
Turnaround for custom mounting: typically 2-3 weeks from order. Premium over the unmounted coin: €80-200 for silver bezel + chain, €200-600 for gold bezel + chain depending on metal weight.
Wearing and caring for a coin pendant
The Aurora care guide covers material-specific cleaning. Three coin-pendant-specific notes:
- Avoid skin-contact patina on bronze coins. Bronze coins worn directly against skin develop a slow patina from sweat (slightly acidic). The bezel should hold the coin clear of skin contact. If using a bail mount on a bronze coin, expect some skin-side patination over years.
- Silver coins develop natural tarnish. This is normal and historically appropriate. Light polishing every few months with a soft cloth keeps the portrait visible.
- Gold coins are essentially maintenance-free. Wipe with a soft cloth if dirty, otherwise wear and enjoy.
Companion reading
- Authenticate Roman coin — the underlying coin authentication framework
- Buying your first Roman coin — what to look for in a starter coin
- Roman coin denominations — which denominations work as pendants
- Reading Roman coin portraits — choosing a portrait that wears well
- Care guide — wearing and cleaning
- Aurora coin collection
- Pendant inventory
Frequently asked questions
Can you wear ancient Roman coins as pendants?
Yes. Mounted in a bezel or bail without modifying the coin itself, an authenticated Roman coin makes an excellent pendant. The coin retains its value as a free-standing coin (bezel can be removed in future). Daily wear is appropriate for gold and silver coins; bronze coins are better suited to occasional wear due to skin-contact patina concerns.
Does mounting a Roman coin reduce its value?
A non-destructive bezel or bail mount (no modification to the coin itself) retains 80-95% of the coin's value as a free-standing coin. Modern piercing of an undrilled ancient coin reduces value by 30-60% and is destructive — Aurora does not perform this. Coins with ancient drilled holes are themselves legitimate Roman artefacts (the originals were sometimes drilled by Roman owners for wear) and these can be mounted on a chain through the existing hole without further modification.
What size coin works best as a pendant?
Silver denarius (17-20 mm, 2.5-3.5 g) is the ideal pendant size for daily wear — light enough for comfort, large enough for portrait visibility. Aureus (gold) of similar size is the premium option. Antoninianus works well. Sestertius (32-36 mm, 22-30 g) is wearable but heavy; best for occasional or formal wear.
How much does a Roman coin pendant cost?
The cost is the coin price plus mounting. Denarius coins start at €100-300, plus €80-200 for a silver bezel mount and chain. So entry-tier Roman coin pendants from Aurora are €180-500. Higher-grade or rarer coins move the total up; gold mountings add €150-500. High-end coin pendants (gold coin in gold bezel) reach €3,000-15,000+.
Are Roman coin necklaces real?
Yes — many surviving Roman coins show that Romans themselves wore coins as pendants, drilling holes in coins for personal use. Modern Roman coin pendants made by mounting authenticated ancient coins are real artefacts in modern jewellery settings. Avoid: replica coins sold as ancient pendants (modern reproductions cast in cheap alloys, often on novelty marketplaces).