I am from Ireland, but 15 years ago I was living and working in the US and was at a party on the west coast. I saw a guy across the room and noticed his cufflinks. I went over to have a closer look, they were made from old New York City Subway tokens. We got talking and he told me that: “they remind me home, I’m a real New Yorker wherever I go...” This was something I could relate to, I was away from home and carried a couple of my own mementos - photos etc. links to family, but not my heritage. This encounter struck a chord with me, but lay dormant for many years until I found myself living back in Ireland.

It was 2007 and times had changed, we had new currency, the economic boom had come and gone and the newest wave of emigration from Ireland had just begun. It was here that that guy at that party came back to my mind; and turned my eye to our old currency discontinued in 2002. It has beautiful images that were chosen by none other than the great Irish poet W.B. Yeats, and I saw it as perfect material for creating a beautiful piece of contemporary design firmly rooted in heritage and tradition.

The Irish coin cufflinks I designed and handmade were a success, with people seeing them as the ideal gift for those with an Irish connection. It spread though, and I started getting requests for cufflinks made from coins all over the world and it was from here; World Coin Cufflinks was born.

Each set of World Coin Cufflinks are made from authentic currency, are hand assembled and polished before being placed in a sleek silver presentation box.