Tuesday, September 1, 2015

New Coins



Kim's step-sister and her husband retired to Mexico a year or so ago.  They were back in the States for several reasons and they usually call us up and we meet for supper.  Friday was the day that happened.  They picked one of their old haunts in town.  Friday's traffic is just super crazy compared to the usual crazy and we had to be there by 5:45 PM.  Rush hour, oh joy.  Peak supper time at a popular restaurant usually mean waiting.  Also the place they picked is a high end Mexican "Cuisine" sorta place.  Which mean they charge 3-4 times what a good plate of enchiladas or carne guisada would normally run. 

As it turns out things went much better than I anticipated.  The traffic was unusually light, the restaurant wasn't crowed either.  The food was OK, a little to much 'gringo' leaning for my tastes.  We visited a while and caught up.  Kim showed a ring I had made out of a Sacagawea Dollar she was wearing.  So her step sister breaks out a handful of Mexican Pesos.  She wanted me to have them and make a ring for her also.  Those were some really nice looking coins and had great potential for rings.  


As you can see they have two different color metals.  Should be interesting.

Started work on one and just as I suspected they are two-piece coins.  I got the hole punched just fine but when the folding process began the center 'yellow' metal just fell out of the surrounding piece.  Was able to use the out piece to make a very thin band that has the markings I like on it.  I just don't think there is anyway to keep the inner piece with my method.  A dual colored ring would have been interesting.

I did win a couple ebay auctions for some more Swiss Francs.  Looking forward to making a few of those.  They really make nice looking rings.

Garden update.  It is still going pretty well.  Much better than anyone else I know that had/has one at this point of the summer.  This was Monday mornings' haul.  143 tomatoes. 



They plants are still full and green.  The yellow pear tomatoes have not slowed down at all.  The regular sized ones are not producing as much as the heat makes it hard to set fruit.  No idea why the yellow ones are so prolific.  by now most folks would have pulled their plants and planted new ones for a fall crop.  I am pretty sure mine will produce until the first freeze in early November.  We shall see.

Happy Trails

2 comments:

Old NFO said...

Glad it turned out to be a good day. I'll be interested to see what you do with the bi-metal coins.

Randy said...

Not sure how I am going to be able to use them without them coming apart. the one I tried the interior, I think it's brass, popped right out when I applied my press. I will be able to make rings out of the exterior but will be limited on size. Will have to try things but not sure what at the moment.