The Seasonality Coin Collection
The Seasonality Coin collection morphed from something for myself, to my initial ‘go’ at a collectable design, featuring six pieces that will be crafted and released each season until 2025. But, why six…when many of us grew up knowing of four seasons? Hold your horses, we’ll get to that.
Seasonality Coins - The idea…
The outdoors feels like home to me; a place where I can be my true self. I find a sense of unity with nature and its cycles, viewing it as both a soothing balm and a wise mentor!
Even though I adore the woods, my health and business responsibilities don't always allow me to frolic among the trees as much as I'd like. Despite knowing that one can maintain a connection without being physically present, I still feel a certain distance from my true self and a hint of uncertainty when I can't visit the woods often.
That's why I decided to create a physical reminder that I could carry around - a tangible symbol of nature's seasonal subtleties, and my ingrained connection to it! And amongst all the things I could craft, the most practical would be a necklace pendant. Why? Because it can always be within reach, and with every fidget between my fingers, I’ll be reminded of my Nature connection wherever I am!
I wanted each pendant to be distinct, with a design that honors the essence of each season. This was not only to celebrate the individuality of each season, but also to help register the change of seasons, mentally, through the different tactile feel of each piece.
In a world where our nervous systems are constantly on high alert, I realized that this could also be a valuable tool for others. So, I’m committed to crafting each pendant as each new season approaches throughout this year. By the end of 2025, anyone can have a full collection, to help with finding your “sync” with Nature!
Why “Coins”?
I tapped into my curiosity with the old silver coins created in Massachusetts (where I’m from) around 1692, called “pine tree shillings”. I thought how cool to come across one and make it a pendant! Well, this was opportunity to make one of my own. With inspiration from the originally minted design, and a little sleuthing to find the coins dimensions, I was able to create a design of similar size, and with pine tree shilling essence! So, only appropriate to call the pendants in this collection “coins”, amirite?
Front and back of an original pine tree shilling coin from Massachusetts.
Why six seasons?
Being a Nature dork, I have been fascinated by ecology, and more recently, ‘phenology’. That’s the study of “the timing and cyclical patterns of events in the natural world, particularly those related to the annual life cycles of plants, animals, and other living things.” (According to USA npn)
To give you the very cliff-noted version, ecologists have found that the temperate regions actually experience two additional seasons (hence six seasons). They have observed distinct changes in flora and fauna, both at the end of winter (but before spring) and at the end of summer (but before fall). Casually, you could refer to these mini seasons as “pre-spring” and “late summer”. But, these are the ‘official’ names of each of the six seasons, and the name that will run around the coin’s edge in my collection design…
Prevernal (pre-spring)
Vernal (spring)
Estival (summer)
Serotinal (late summer)
Autumnal (fall)
Hibernal (winter)
deepen your knoweledge
I invite you to read-up on phenology, ecologists six-season view, as well as the constitutional traits of each season - traits we can integrate into our everyday for ease, fluidity, and self-preservation. Plus, it’ll bring you closer to the Seasonality Coin collection!
ARTICLES
Phenology - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Why Six Seasons? | Six Seasons Garden Consulting
Benefits Of Aligning With The Seasons - Dr. Tara Salay
How to Flow with the Seasons | Mark the Seasons of your Life
VIDEO’S