The Oaxaca Coin
$90
Round hammered copper coin earrings with hand-stamped ancient Zapotec symbols, oxidized finish, simple wire hook.
Materials
Hammered copper discs, hand-stamped Zapotec symbols
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Why Liz Chose It
“Lucía taught herself copperwork from museum photographs, and it shows in the beautiful rawness of these coins. Ancient Zapotec symbols on my ears, made by a woman who refused to be told what she couldn't do.”
— Elizabeth Groch, Founder
The Story of This Piece
The Oaxaca Coin earrings draw from one of Mesoamerica's oldest civilizations — the Zapotec, who built the magnificent city of Monte Albán on a mountaintop above what is now Oaxaca City over 2,500 years ago. The Zapotec developed one of the earliest writing systems in the Americas, and their symbols carried meaning both mundane and sacred.
These earrings feature Zapotec symbols hand-stamped into hammered copper discs — each symbol selected for its association with creativity, protection, and female power. The copper is sourced locally and hammered by hand, creating a textured surface that catches and plays with light.
The oxidized finish gives the earrings a warm, aged quality that evokes archaeological artifacts while remaining firmly wearable. The simple wire hooks are designed for comfortable all-day wear, allowing the discs to move freely and catch light from every angle.
The Artisan
Lucía Méndez
Age 39 · Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico
Lucía Méndez comes from Teotitlán del Valle, a small Zapotec village outside Oaxaca City famous for its handwoven rugs. While most of the village's artisans focus on textiles, Lucía was drawn to metalwork — an unusual choice that she attributes to hours spent as a child watching her grandfather repair copper pots and pans.
She taught herself copperwork through experimentation and by studying archaeological photographs of pre-Columbian metalwork at the Oaxaca Cultural Museum. Her self-education gave her a distinctive style — technically unconventional but visually striking, with a rawness that trained metalsmiths sometimes lose.
Lucía is deeply connected to her Zapotec heritage and sees her jewelry as a way of keeping ancient symbols alive in the modern world. She is a single mother of three and uses her earnings to support not only her family but also a community kitchen that provides meals to elderly residents of Teotitlán del Valle.