Handmade in North Africa

Moroccan - Ethnic Amazigh

Antique coin of an undetermined age

One available

Indigenous silver - probably 70% - 80% 

Please note - this is not 92.5 silver.  These are historic pieces that were not trying to conform to international standards of metal purity. They were for local use.

Weight - 1.1 ounces each

Interior ring diameter - 1.5 inch

Stick length - 2 inches

Total brooch length - 4.5 inches

Width - 1.25 inches

This orphan brooches was made from a half-Rial denomination coin.  It is not clear what year it was minted as the coin is quite worn and the year appears to have been covered up. None of the other coin brooches I found were quite like this one, with the olive branch motif on one side. 

Amazigh jewelry often uses coins. Women literally wore their wealth. In addition to these coin brooches, women wore necklaces with coins ornaments and headdresses adorned with coins.

The wire for this pin is robust and shows wear in particular places, indicating how a long-term owner must have positioned it on a daily basis. The stick and wires are strong enough to use with worsted or bulky yarns.

The ring on the bottom of the pin can accept a thin chain or small cord, allowing the pin to be worn as a pendant. The ring would have connected to a necklace strung between two brooches, which would have been worn at the front of each shoulder.