The Gold Coin Necklace Trend Channels The Odyssey Without Going Full Greek Goddess

You don’t have to sit through three hours of The Odyssey in Imax 70mm to understand the power of a Grecian gold coin necklace.

Dating back to ancient Rome and the Byzantine Empire, coin jewelry crops up in a variety of cultures across the globe as a symbol of wealth and protection, often depicting Indian or Greek gods and goddesses, Christian idols, and other symbolic imagery. In modern history, coin necklaces have become intrinsic with the ’70s boho aesthetic, wading in and out of style with the natural course of cyclical jewelry trends, but rarely washing away completely.

In fact, the gold coin necklace trend was already experiencing a resurgence this past fall, as boho trends and heirloom-inspired jewelry seeped their way into celebrity street style and new jewelry collections. Then came the press run for The Odyssey to fully cement the coin necklace trend for summer.

Zendaya attends “The Odyssey” Photocall on July 05, 2026 in London, England.

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Lupita Nyong’o attends “The Odyssey” premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square in New York on July 14, 2026.

ANGELA WEISS/Getty Images

On July 5, celebrity image architect Law Roach sent Zendaya out in London wearing a white draped halter gown and headdress by Jacquemus that served as a backdrop for a historic pair of Iranian gold medallions dating back approximately 3,000 years. The move inspired a heated online debate between those who believe historical artifacts do not belong on the red carpet and those who praised Zendaya and Roach for giving the ancient treasure an unprecedented platform.

But there are far less controversial ways to embrace this jewelry trend, with plenty of affordable and fine jewelry brands offering collections of gold coin necklaces and pendants that simply take inspiration from history. This past fall, Pandora released an entire Talisman collection of coin-inspired charms, while Awe Inspired is your direct line to pendants featuring Athena and Circe.

And though I’ve personally been eyeing Gorjana’s textured compass coin pendant, horoscope girlies will probably love their Zodiac collection that retails for $78 per pendant. As with many 2026 trends, the more personalized, the better.