Coin Into Rings: 12 Steps Behind the 10 Million View Video of One Coin Becoming a Matching Pair

Turning a coin into rings sounds like magic, but one maker showed millions of people exactly how it is done. In a video that has passed 10 million views, the YouTube creator Anif G takes a single coin and turns it into two matching rings, one for each partner. He uses simple hand tools, a lot of patience and a few clever tricks, and the result looks like it came from a jewelry store. Couples love the idea because both rings come from the same piece of metal, a sweet symbol of two people sharing one story. Here is how he does it, step by step, plus easy beginner versions you can try at home with hex nuts, washers and old spoons..

Coin Into Rings: Meet Anif G

Anif G is a YouTube jewelry maker with hundreds of thousands of subscribers who loves turning everyday objects into wearable pieces. In December 2020 he posted I turn a coin into couple rings, and it has now been watched more than 10 million times. The video runs just over nine minutes with no fancy studio, just a well worn bench, small tools and steady hands. Watching a flat coin slowly become two rings is oddly relaxing. Ready to see the steps..

You will need: A coin you are allowed to alter, a small vise, a drill (adult use), a jeweler’s saw, files, sandpaper and polish.

How to make it: 1. Watch the full video once for the big picture. 2. Note each tool he picks up. 3. Practice the steps on cheap washers before trying a coin.

Coin Into Rings Step One: Drilling the Center

Every coin ring starts with a hole. The coin is held tight in a small vise and a hole is drilled right through the middle. This opening later grows into the finger hole, so it has to be centered or the ring will look lopsided. Go slow, mark the center with a punch first and let the drill do the work. Safety glasses are a must because tiny metal bits fly. Have you ever used a drill press?

You will need: A center punch, a small vise, a drill or drill press (adult use), small bits and safety glasses.

How to make it: 1. Mark the exact center with a punch. 2. Clamp the coin firmly in the vise. 3. Drill slowly, starting small and stepping up in size.

Coin Into Rings Step Two: Shaping the Band

Next the metal is softened with heat so it bends without cracking, a step jewelers call annealing. Then the coin goes onto a tapered steel mandrel and is gently tapped with a soft mallet. Bit by bit the flat edge folds inward and the coin turns into a band. It is slow, careful work, and every tap counts. Heating metal is a job for an experienced adult on a fire safe surface. Can you picture the moment it starts looking like a ring?

You will need: A steel ring mandrel, a rawhide or nylon mallet, pliers, and a fire safe brick and heat source used only by an adult.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult anneal the coin on a fire safe brick and let it cool fully. 2. Slide it onto the mandrel. 3. Tap evenly all around, turning often, until the band forms.

Filing and Sanding Smooth

Fresh bands are rough and sharp, so the next stage is all about smoothing. Needle files clean up the inner edge, then sanding sticks move from coarse to fine grits until the scratches fade. A good chunk of the video is spent on this step, and it shows in the final shine. Rushing here leaves marks that polish cannot hide. Patience is the real secret tool. How smooth do you think you could get it?

You will need: Needle files, sanding sticks or sandpaper in several grits and a soft cloth.

How to make it: 1. File the inside edge until it feels comfortable. 2. Sand the outside with coarse, then medium, then fine grit. 3. Wipe away the dust between grits.

The Jeweler’s Saw Trick

So how do you get two rings from one coin? In the video, the coin is carefully cut with a jeweler’s saw so there is enough metal for a pair. A jeweler’s saw uses a blade so thin it looks like wire, which lets makers cut tight, clean lines in metal. It takes a light touch and lots of short strokes. Blades snap often while you are learning, so buy a whole pack. Would you have the patience for this step?

You will need: A jeweler’s saw frame, fine saw blades, a bench pin, beeswax and safety glasses.

How to make it: 1. Tighten the blade in the frame with the teeth pointing down. 2. Rub a little wax on the blade. 3. Saw with gentle, steady strokes while the metal rests on the bench pin.

Choosing a Coin and Staying Legal

Many makers hunt for old coins at flea markets, coin shops and yard sales. Larger, thicker coins are easiest to work, while very thin coins can split. Pick one with meaning, like a coin from a birth year or wedding year. In the United States, turning coins into jewelry or art is generally legal as long as there is no intent to defraud, but rules differ from country to country, so check before you turn any coin into rings. Which year would you pick?

You will need: A few coins from a flea market or coin shop, a small magnifier and a notebook.

How to make it: 1. Pick a coin from a year that means something to you. 2. Check its thickness and size. 3. Look up your local rules before altering any coin.

Coin Into Rings Is an Old Idea

Coin rings are not new at all. This silver coin finger ring, photographed for Durham County Council in England, dates to roughly 1910 to 1936. People have been shaping coins into jewelry for generations, often as keepsakes. Today’s videos simply let millions of us watch the process up close. That long history adds a lovely layer of meaning to a handmade pair. Do you have an old family piece with a story behind it?

You will need: A family keepsake or a photo of one, a notebook and a little curiosity.

How to make it: 1. Ask older relatives about any handmade jewelry in the family. 2. Write down the story behind it. 3. Keep the note with the piece so the story travels with it.

The Matching Set

The final reveal is pure joy. Two shiny rings sit side by side, one sized for each partner, both born from the same coin. That is why couples love turning a single coin into rings for anniversaries and engagements. Tuck them into a little wooden box and the gift almost explains itself. It is the kind of handmade present that gets passed down. Who would you make a matching pair for?

You will need: Your finished rings, a polishing cloth and a small ring box.

How to make it: 1. Give both rings a final polish. 2. Check the sizes on a mandrel. 3. Nest them in a small box with a handwritten note.

Try It: A Hex Nut Ring

His channel also turns hardware into jewelry, including popular hex nut rings. A brass hex nut is a great beginner project because it already has a hole in the middle. File the corners round, sand, polish and you have a chunky ring in an afternoon. Pick a nut that slides over your knuckle comfortably. It is a fun way to practice filing before you ever touch a coin. Would you wear one?

You will need: A brass hex nut that fits your finger, a small vise, files, sandpaper and metal polish.

How to make it: 1. Clamp the nut and file the six corners round. 2. Sand inside and out. 3. Polish until it shines.

Try It: A Stamped Washer Pendant

If rings feel tricky, start with a pendant. A flat metal washer and a set of metal stamps let you add hearts, stars, initials or a special date. Tap each stamp once, firmly, on a steel block. Thread it on a leather cord and you have a personal gift in minutes. It is a great project for teens with an adult nearby. What would you stamp on yours?

You will need: A metal washer, metal stamps, a steel bench block, a small hammer, tape and a leather cord.

How to make it: 1. Tape the washer to the block. 2. Hold the stamp straight and strike once. 3. Rub dark marker into the design, wipe off the extra and thread the cord.

Try It: A Spoon Handle Ring

Old silver spoons from thrift shops make beautiful rings. Cut off the handle with an adult’s help, file the edge, then wrap it around a mandrel with a mallet. The pretty patterns on vintage handles become the face of the ring, so each one is unique. If you love giving old things new life, these thrift flips will inspire you too. Which pattern would you choose?

You will need: A thrift store spoon, a hacksaw (adult use), files, a ring mandrel, a mallet and polish.

How to make it: 1. Cut the handle to length and file the end smooth. 2. Wrap it around the mandrel, tapping gently. 3. Overlap the ends neatly and polish.

Try It: A Wire Wrapped Ring

Wire wrapping needs no saw or heat at all, which makes it a perfect starter project. Soft craft wire is coiled around a mandrel to form the band, then twisted into a leaf, a swirl or around a small stone. Kids and adults can both enjoy it, and a single spool makes dozens of rings. It is a lovely way to practice before trying a coin. Which design would you try first?

You will need: Soft craft wire, round nose pliers, flush cutters, a ring mandrel or thick marker and a small bead.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the wire around the mandrel three times. 2. Twist the ends into a leaf or around a bead. 3. Tuck and trim the ends so nothing scratches.