Imperial Commemorative Coins

Historical Symbols in Contemporary Metalwork

June 2018
Silver

The Question

How can ancient Persian visual symbols be reinterpreted through contemporary jewellery and metalworking practice?

This project investigated how historical Persian iconography could be rearticulated through contemporary metalworking. Rather than producing replicas of historical coins, the work reinterpreted the Lion and Sun emblem and the Faravahar as newly crafted artefacts.

Hand-patinated silver coin featuring the Lion and Sun emblem, reinterpreted through contemporary metalwork by Mehdi Valiee
Hand-patinated silver coin — historical iconography reinterpreted through contemporary relief and surface finishing.

Searching for Form

Two independent coin designs were developed. One features the Lion and Sun emblem; the other interprets the Faravahar as a central symbolic element. Digital modelling was integrated with traditional jewellery-making techniques to investigate relief, proportion, and surface hierarchy prior to production.

Material Translation

After casting, each silver coin was individually hand-finished and patinated to recreate the visual depth and tactile qualities associated with historical metal artefacts. The project examined how patination, relief, and surface finishing contribute to the material communication of cultural memory.

Reflection

The work explored jewellery and metalwork as a site of cultural continuity. By reinterpreting historical symbols through contemporary process, the coins become neither pure replicas nor abstract inventions, but material negotiations between past iconography and present craft practice.

Documentation

The project is documented through digital modelling, 3D-printed resin masters, hand-patinated silver coins, and historical source references.