souvenir pressed penny bracelet

spare change?

i'm a sucker for souvenir coins, but pressed pennies are even better. you get them from a machine that cranks, and you don't have to be anywhere important to find them. unless you count a truckstop near baltimore important. i think the coins on this bracelet represent 5 years of forcing people to patiently wait while i desperately look/beg for change and take forever deciding which image captures the essence of the moment.

drilling the pennies:

• rubber mallet
• awl
• hand drill with 1/16" drill bit
• old wood to drill into

• place penny on wood. position the awl on the penny where you'd like the hole.
• give the awl a gentle tap with the mallet, so it leaves a dent in the penny.
• using the dent to guide the drill bit, and holding it securely, drill each penny.

you'll be left with a bunch of metal spirals from the drilled pennies. please be very careful disposing of these, as they are very sharp.

assemble the bracelet:

• copper chain, the length of your wrist
• gold toggle clasp
• 5mm gold jump rings
• 10-20 drilled souvenir pennies
• 2 needle nose pliers

• using both pliers, twist open a jump ring.
• add chain and toggle clasp to jumpring. twist close, securely.
• repeat on other side of chain with the loop end of the clasp.

• layout pennies and determine how far apart you want to place them.
• twist open jump rings, add the chain and a penny, twist to close.
• when adding pennies, keep them all facing the same direction, and all on the same side of each link. this will help them lay flat when it's being worn.