Ancient Coin Necklace: Macedonian Coin in Holly

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I really am enjoying these necklaces, and they're a good side project while the glue on my dragon is drying. I called up my brother to see if it raked across his nerves to have a Macedonian coin set in a heraldic-style shield, but he seemed unruffled, so I went for it. The shields of this coin's era, circa 294-288 BC, were round of course. In fact, the backside of this coin is stamped to look like one of their shields. The opposite side, facing outward on this necklace, shows a plumed helmet atop a Greek word or phrase; I'm afraid I can't translate it, although the lettering is quite clear. The coin is in pretty good condition in that way, all things considered; you can even see some feathering in the helmet plumes. Given that this coin was minted post-Alexander and with the looming threat of a Roman takeover, I suppose the Macodonians had plenty of reasons, past and future, to print military coins.

The coin is set in a holly pendant, which should prove to be much less brittle than the ebony pendant from a bit back. The shield is accented in gold and silver leaf. Partly to give a nice heraldic appearance, and partly, I confess, to cover the laminating scar that came from dividing and reaffixing the halves of the necklace around the coin. Holly is a lovely wood in many ways, but it shows scars like the dickens, however hard you try to hide them. I suppose it's the downside to it's gorgeous whiteness.