Jewelry consisting of faces on coins have graced bodies since antiquity. Usually a deity or a person of significance and beauty, coin jewelry is nothing new under the sun, transcending time and space. There are many varieties of coin jewelry, but my favorites are the coins with goddesses. When I was a tiny child, my Grandmother had a long bronze necklace that hung to the bottom of her ribcage. It was a coin with a Goddess holding wheat on the face. The back had two symbols, one on top of the other. The top was a Labrys, and the bottom was a bull. I loved it so much, and I own it to this day. Nothing is more beautiful to me than goddess culture. I wanted to design coins with goddesses that aren’t typically found on coins, but most of all, I wanted to honor the tradition of coin jewelry.
The collection is traditional by way of the coin shape, but there is so much more that is not traditional but should be among us as humans. This collection represents true crystal to goddess lore that is usually incorrect via an internet search. Moreso, red-lettered, this project is a representation of people from around the world and a collaboration that is of the same. Each piece was designed in a friend’s likeness or in collaboration with a guest designer, who is also a friend. Each goddess had several people behind it and much-needed representation. This was an effort of many, a coming together of many.
Each goddess has one or more stones that truly pertain to her, featured on each coin. I have often seen incorrect crystals paired with their Deities in the same landscape as their animal counterparts. I believe it must be culturally correct. Additionally, I wanted the goddesses to have designers that were living cultural representations of the goddess. In this truth, many people would have real input to real concerns pertaining to the culture displayed. So each goddess had a team, and in each team, the majority were people of the culture represented. Furthermore, charities have been chosen, by team members, to benefit from these goddesses.
As with all EPJ pieces, these will only be available for a very short time in a limited edition. When they are gone, they are gone. As I have always said, beauty comes from what is sought, not soaked. If you have one of these beauties, you will have one of the few in the world. Please see a description of each goddess and the people behind them, helping me hold them up.
Freyja/Freya Scandinavian Goddess
Freyja, originally of the Vanir, was given to the Aesir tribe as a peace treaty during the war. Her father Njörd the sea god and her twin brother Freyr, were also a part of the bargain. Together they brought many gifts to the Aesir, one of Freyja’s many gifts was the power of seiðr, the Old Ways of the World. She possesses a cloak made of falcon feathers, enabling her to fly leading the Valkyries on the battlefield. The Boar, the Cat, and the Falcon are her familiars. Her true crystal is yellow Cat’s Eye, displayed on the pendant, sourced from Scandinavia. Her likeness was designed after my friend Mia Wäppling-Johannessen. Freyja’s depiction has been advised and planned by the project contributors.
Credits:
Mia Wäppling Johannessen – Muse, Contributor of inspiration, tattoo artist, Goddess enthusiast
Christina O’ Hara – Contributor, Goddess enthusiast
Mia Andersson – Cultural anthropologist, Contributor
Maja Nilsson – Museum curator, Contributor
Circe Greek Goddess
Circe, the witch of Aeaea and daughter of Helios, became a most beloved Goddess for her truest nature. Yes, she was able to change men into wolves, lions, and swine, but this is truly a footnote. At her birth, she was quickly disregarded, branded as odd-looking, and cast aside. She was underestimated and belittled. No one really understood her inner power. She rose up like a phoenix and the gods in the grand hall stopped in their tracks. She is a testament to the fact that no one decides your destiny but you. The Hawk and the Lion are her familiars. Her true crystal is Tiger’s Eye. Her likeness was designed after my best friend Rachel Lewandowski. Circe’s depiction has been advised and planned by the project contributors.
Credits:
Jennifer Kazan – Cultural Anthropologist, Contributor
Rachel Lewandowski – Muse, Contributor of inspiration
The Morrígan Celtic Goddess
The Morrígan, also known as the Phantom Queen of Irish lore and the Goddess of the dead. She is a quite complex Goddess to know. She requires study and dedication to truly understand. Internet searches do not even grasp a 10th of who she is. The Morrígan is the very cycle of life, the energy of this cycle manifested into this reality’s edges. She is the keeper eternal of all that breathes and all that dies. She is the center of the triple spiral flowing outward. Murders of crows fly by her side, and she is a gifted shapeshifter indeed. Her true crystals are garnet, onyx, quartz, and bloodstone. Her likeness was designed after my friend Sher DeMar. The Morrígan’s depiction has been advised and planned by the project contributors.
Credits:
Sher DeMar – Muse, Goddess enthusiast, contributor of inspiration
Orla O’Connor – Curator of Celtic Art, Contributor
Shannon Kelly – Writer, Celtic Scholar, Contributor
Nessa Walsh – Cultural anthropologist, Contributor
Guan Yin Chinese Bodhisattva
Guan Yin is the Bodhisattva of Mercy, Peace, wisdom, and Luck. She is associated with compassion and known as “The Goddess of Mercy.” Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have decided to hold off transcending in order to help others attain enlightenment. There are many different Bodhisattvas, but Guan Yin is the most famous in China. Her true crystal is the Chinese Jade, displayed on her chest, mined in China. Her image was a design by the contributors to this project. Both were inspired by the Guan Yin Bodhisattva Statue of the South China Sea in Sanya, Hainan. Their design takes my breath away. Net proceeds from this project will be donated to CUSWF.
Credits:
Candice Wang – Contributor
Karen Chén – Modern-day Chinese Scholar, Buddhist, and Curator of Asian Art. Contributor
Inanna Mesopotamian Goddess
Inanna, Queen of Heaven, is the oldest known goddess in the history of us. Complete with stories of her grand adventures dating back to 3200 BC. She is the morning star, the depiction of Venus, the first of the morning and the first of the night. Also known as the Star of Venus. Her animal consort is a lion and her true crystals are Lapis Lazuli and Carnelian. Her likeness was designed after my friend Aleah Yousefi Andrews. Inanna’s depiction has been advised and planned by the project contributors.
Credits:
BahArak Shah – Historic Archeologist, Contributor
Zara Hadid – cultural anthropologist, Contributor
Aleah Yousefi Andrews – Masters in Middle Eastern Studies with an emphasis on societies and cultures, Contributor
Shabana Dada – Muse, Contributor of inspiration
Oya African Elemental Spirit, Orisha
Oya is technically not a goddess, she is an elemental spirit. She is one of the most powerful Orishas. She is the Goddess of thunder, lightning, and storms. She is the Queen of the River Niger and can help you unearth family secrets that were lost with those who have passed on. Her symbols are lightning, flywhisk, sword, or machete. Oya’s familiar is the Waterbuffalo and her true crystals are Amethyst, Garnet, and Bloodstone. Her likeness was designed after my friend Trina Thompson. Oya’s depiction was designed, advised, and planned by the project contributors. Net proceeds from this project will be donated to Solar Sister.
Credits:
Akanni Boye – Yoruba Priestess, Contributor
Trina Thompson – Muse, Goddess initiate, Contributor of inspiration
LaToya Stevens-Johnson – Contributor
Nerthus Vanir Scandinavian Goddess/God
Many veiled Goddess appears in many cultures because ultimately she is one. Symbolizing the mysteries of life, the great mysteries. Nerthus is a veiled primordial goddexx, an original goddexx of old that was before the newer gods of antiquity. As an elder goddexx, of the Earth, keeping the secrets of the world. Originally a sexless deity, able to be the seed and carry life by the self. Similar to the plant life of this Earth in relation to the Earth’s soil. Sometimes said to be Njörd, the male god of the sea or his wife, Nerthus was also documented as both genders (a hermaphroditic deity) until the Christianization of Scandinavia. Whether the goddexx was hermaphroditic, changed over time by religion, or Nonbinary; it is clear that the primordial energies are older than gender roles. The animal consorts of Nerthus are the red fox and the wood frog. The true crystal of Nerthus is blue lace agate. Now considered in many circles a Nonbinary Goddexx and the keeper of the secrets of Earth and our true origins. The depiction of Nerthus and description here has been advised and planned by the project contributors. Net proceeds from this project will be donated to Transformations KC.
Credits:
Mia Andersson – Cultural anthropologist, Contributor
Maja Nilsson – Museum curator, Contributor
Tanith K. (They/Them) – Contributor
Terrance Styles (They/Them) – Contributor
Starseed Metropolis (They/Them) – Contributor
Amaterasu Japanese Solar Goddess
Amaterasu is a Japanese Solar Goddess. She is a major deity of Shinto, portrayed in Japan’s earliest texts. The August Sun goddess is the ruler of Takama no Hara, the High Celestial Plain, the domain of the Kami. She is the great illuminator, with the power to rise and set the sun. Emperor Jimmu (660 BC) is said to be the direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. The country’s name, Japan, means “the origin of the sun.” This design is reflected on the country’s flag, as a beautiful orange disc, furthermore showing this central importance of the sun.
The true crystal of Amaterasu is represented on the face of this design as the sun, an orange Aventurine from Japan. Her likeness was designed after my friend Tracy Emiko Ugai. Amaterasu’s depiction has been designed and planned by the project contributors. Net proceeds from this project will be donated to SJNOC.
Credits:
Hina Nagao – Shinto Healer, Contributor
Sora Nagao – Shinto Teacher, Contributor
Tracy Emiko Ugai – Artist, Sound Healer, and owner of Rehab Your Soul. Muse, Contributor of inspiration
Karen Ono – Writer, Museum Curator with a Bachelors Degree in Asian Studies with an emphasis on Japanese Art, Contributor
Hekate Greek Goddess
Hekate is known as a Thracian Goddess of the Dark Moon, Witchcraft, and Wisdom. She is the keeper of all that is hidden. The Goddess of Crossroads and Queen of Ghosts. The liberator of women and a representation of feminine strength. Her symbols are keys and torches. Hekate’s familiar is the black dog and her true crystals are all black crystals, but she is most partial to Black Jet. Her likeness was designed after my friend Lili Niemczura. Hekate’s depiction has been advised and planned by the project contributors.
Credits:
Jennifer Kazan – Historian, Historic Archeologist, Contributor
Theresa Ricci – Writer, Italian Scholar, and Student. Contributor
Lili Niemczura – Muse, The Owner of Crow’s Myth, Contributor of inspiration
I would also like to thank Evil Pawn Jewelry Patreons for their support, love, encouragement, advice, and straight-up beauty during this project. You are my second Klatch. I love all of you so much!