How to Make a Ring Out of a Silver Quarter

For a quarter you can have a silver ring.

You may not have a jewelry shop full of precision jewelry-making tools, but you can fashion a slick, homemade ring out a silver quarter at home without too much difficulty. With just a few basic tools, a silver quarter will be transformed into a shiny band. Use a quarter issued before 1965; any newer coins are made with nickel and copper rather than silver and will stain your skin.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer
• Drill
• Vice
• 1/4-inch metal drill bit
• 5/16-inch metal drill bit
• 3/8-inch metal drill bit
• Round rasp or handheld rotary tool
• Fine metal file
• Spoon
• 200-grit sandpaper
• 320-grit sandpaper
• 500-grit sandpaper
• Cloth
• Polishing compound

Instructions

1. Hold the quarter standing on-edge on a hard surface and, while slowly turning the quarter, hammer the outer edge to gradually remove the ridges and widen the perimeter.

2. Place the quarter in a vice for drilling out the interior.

3. Drill holes in the quarter using progressively larger metal drill bits. Make the first hole with a 1/4-inch bit, followed by a 5/16-inch bit. Finish enlarging the hole with a 3/8-inch bit.

4. Finish removing the remaining lip around the inside edge of the quarter by sanding it down with a round rasp or a hand-held rotary tool.

5. Smooth the interior edge by sanding it with a fine metal file.

6. Make any final adjustments to the shape of the ring by turning it in your hand and tapping it with the back of a spoon.

7. Sand down the ring using progressively finer sandpaper to start to bring out the luster. Start with 200-grit sandpaper, then use 320-grit sandpaper. Finish with 500-grit sandpaper.

8. Wrap a cloth around the 3/8-inch drill bit and wedge the ring around the cloth so it is stuck firmly on the drill bit.

9. Spin the ring in polishing compound to shine the outer edge of the ring.

References

• Forged Under The Mountain: How It's Done