Taylor Swift is a fan of coin jewellery, an ancient style favoured by Bulgari and FoundRae – and worn by the likes of Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Watts

Taylor Swift is no stranger to meaningful jewellery – from the beaded friendship bracelets that become an ultimate symbol of girlhood and fandom at her concerts, to the famous Lorraine Schwartz watch choker, with the time set to midnight, that many fans interpreted as a nod to her Midnights album. Lately Swift has got into coin jewellery, having been seen wearing pieces from the likes of Steven Battelle, Ben-Amun and For Future Reference. That was particularly so ahead of February’s Super Bowl, where there is a coin toss to decide which team starts with the ball. Alas, Swift’s medallions didn’t bring her boyfriend Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs enough luck – sure they won the toss but they ended up losing the game. That someone who sings about folklore, and weaves meaning and superstition into her art and wardrobe choices, would be drawn to jewellery inspired by ancient coins and medallions makes sense. Coin jewellery has been worn by cultures around the world for thousands of years, and is believed to date to as early as the Hellenistic period of 323-30BC. At that time it was worn as pendants, bracelets and rings. But beyond being symbols of wealth and status, per New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art – which holds pieces such as coin pendants and coin girdles from the Early Byzantine period (c. AD330-843) – coins and medallion jewellery were also considered to be talismans, offering protection. This is something that Rosh Mahtani, founder and creative director of jewellery brand Alighieri, leans into. Her pieces, carved first in wax and then cast in recycled gold, silver and bronze, are inspired by Dante Alighieri’s writings – specifically about moments when courage is required. “I have always been drawn to antique medallions from Roman times, and this inspired the very first medallion I created – Il Leone – for strength and courage. I love them because they feel like they’ve been dug up from the ground, from times gone by,” she says. Il Leone medallion is still Alighieri’s bestselling piece – one Mahtani has called the “North Star” of her brand as the ultimate expression of this search for courage. “I created the Leone medallion as a reminder to myself to be strong in moments of self-doubt. It was one of the first pieces I made, in 2014. The textured medallion is inspired by the moment when Dante Alighieri finds himself in the selva oscura (dark wood) of the Inferno, confronted by a terrifying lion. Dante crumbles and has an existential crisis when his mentor and friend, Virgil, suddenly appears to reassure him and give him confidence. It is a turning point, where fear turns to self-belief,” she explains. “I think our customers love our medallions because each one has a really special meaning – they are talismanic.” Roman jeweller Bulgari meanwhile looks to the practices of Ancient Rome, where coins were more than mere currency but also used as adornment, and yes, for protection, for its Monete collection. Nicola Bulgari, grandson of Bulgari founder Sotirios Bulgari and an enthusiastic coin collector, encouraged the maison’s designers to reimagine the setting of such coins for the collection’s debut in 1966. Beth Hutchens, founder and creative director of FoundRae – whose white and yellow gold pieces are imbued with signs and symbolism – is another designer drawn to medallion jewellery. The brand has a strong celebrity following, including the likes of Michelle Obama, Naomi Watts and Gwyneth Paltrow (who also sells FoundRae pieces on Goop). Taylor Swift is a fan too, wearing one of the brand’s heart earrings on her Eras Tour and the sealed Gemstone necklace at the men’s final of the US Open tennis in September. “Medallions have long been worn as symbols of self-expression and self-discovery, which is what FoundRae is all about,” says Hutchens. As she points out, her pieces incorporate symbols from all over – including the Greek alphabet, Egyptian mythology and astrology – into their designs. “We refer to [them] as Tenets, our beliefs – as a means of accessing and expressing abstract ideas and deeply held values,” she says. As for how to wear coin and medallion jewellery, Hutchens believes, like all jewellery, it should be personal and meaningful. “I tend to wear my medallions layered with chains of various lengths and weights to create a storied look that reflects how I’m feeling that day,” she says, adding that her clients like that they too can customise their pieces in her boutiques. “We want to give our clients the creative reins to create a jewellery story that’s personal and unique to them.” To that end, one of the brand’s bestselling pieces is the oversized yellow gold Radiating Heart. “It’s a signature piece that clients often customise with their family initials – a way to share your story of love with the world,” says Hutchens.

Taylor Swift is a fan of coin jewellery, an ancient style favoured by Bulgari and FoundRae – and worn by the likes of Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Watts

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Swift wears pieces from Steven Battelle, Ben-Amun and For Future Reference, while Rosh Mahtani of Alighieri and Beth Hutchens of FoundRae also make coin designs

Swift wears pieces from Steven Battelle, Ben-Amun and For Future Reference, while Rosh Mahtani of Alighieri and Beth Hutchens of FoundRae also make coin designs