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Plating of coins for use in bellydance costumes

I make belly dance costumes that require foreign coinage. I also use small brass bells (very rough). I'd like a very shiny gold and silver color plating over the natural coin. Although I'm familiar with mil-spec plating, I'm not very versed on commercial stuff. Obviously don't need mil-spec quality. Suggestions for inexpensive but durable?

Lynne Tepper
- Simi Valley, California, USA
2002

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The easy way out is to buy pre-made "coins", Lynne.

But real coins could be "bright nickel" plated for the silver look, and nickel plated then bright brass plated and lacquered for the gold look. If you can get a good sized batch together to meet a plating shop's lot charge, barrel plating them should be very inexpensive on a per-coin basis because thousands can be plated in a single batch.

Nowadays "chrome look paint" might be good enough if you wanted to try to do them yourself, although the durability wouldn't be as good. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2002