DIY STAMPED PENNY CHARM
One penny may seem to you a very insignificant thing, but it is the small seed from which fortunes spring. – Orison Swett Marden
A few years back I worked at a bank that had a coin counter. Each week a man would come into the bank with a collection of coins for his grandchildren’s savings accounts. He had the loose change because every day he would walk around, on his lunch hour, to collect these coins. Let me tell you…they added up after a while.
While we do value our pennies, and you can see just how much here and here, we love this simple project that makes these pennies into a valuable little charm. Now, isn’t that charming 😉
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
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- Pennies
- Metal Letter Stamps
- Hammer
- Drill
- Pencil
- Black Ultra-fine Point Sharpie
- Jump Rings, assorted small beads (optional)
- Necklace, Keychain, or Bracelet to put your charm on
PENNY CHARM INSTRUCTIONS
- Place a penny on a hard surface like a smooth garage floor or an anvil. Firmly hammer the penny repeatedly until it is completely smooth on both sides. Keep those fingers out of the way, you don’t want to smash them! I always do a few spares in case I mess up on the hole drilling or the name stamping!
- Drill a hole in the penny, about 1/16” away from the edge. Be careful that you don’t get too close to the edge bc it could crack.
- Using a pencil, draw a baseline on the penny to use as a guide when placing your letter stamps.
- Starting with the middle letter of the name and working out from there, carefully stamp the flattened penny with your hammer and metal letter stamps. Consider the length of the name when spacing, if it’s a longer name, you’ll have to stamp the letter very close together. Note: If the name is long, consider using a nickname or initials!
- Once the name is stamped into the penny, use the ultra-fine point Sharpie to darken the letters. If you accidentally get out of the lines, don’t fret, it rubs right off of the smooth penny’s surface but will stay in the grooves.
- Place jump ring through the hole in the penny and embellish with a pretty small bead if desired. Use on a charm bracelet, a necklace, a keychain or even on your pet’s collar!
This stamped penny charm would also make a perfect gift for DAD or MOM…don’t you think? The letters would fit perfectly.
MORE UPCYCLE GOODNESS…
Here are a few more posts we think you will enjoy.
Have you ever created anything from a coin before? If so, we would love to know what you’ve made. We love a good upcycle story.
I love the story of the old man Deborah. It reminded me of my Ouma. She used to do the same for my sister and I and you’re right it does add up to a lovely sum.
Great tutorial on making penny charms too my friend. I’ve collected a whole bunch from my travels in Africa. This would be a great way to use some of them for our fur babies.
Thank you so much Michelle. I’m glad it touched you!
What a lovely charm, these would make great gifts. We have a saying in the UK I don’t know if you have it in the US it goes “pick up a penny and all day you’ll have luck”
Claire Armstrong recently posted…How To Make A Unique DIY Picture Frame Stand
Thank you Claire! They would make great gifts. Yes, I’ve heard that quote.