Broom ~ For Courage & Heroism ~ Coin Charm

Inspired by the language of flowers ~ where sentiments were once quietly expressed through blooms ~ and Victorian 'Love Tokens', the phenomenon of engraving secret messages onto coins.

I was drawn to the thought that flowers might hold that same quiet power, carried close as a form of protection, given as a blessing, or kept as a reminder of love and strength. Chosen to speak gently, when words themselves feel too much, or not quite enough.

Our coin charms are made with real flowers in sterling silver, using the traditional technique of lost wax casting. Each piece is carefully boxed, with our seasonal scented posy, and a Victorian puzzle purse holds the meanings and folklore behind your flowers. The story there, when it's opened.

Charms will arrive strung on a ribbon or attached to your chosen accessory, along with the option of an Albert swivel clasp. First used on Victorian watch chains, it allows your charm to move between chain and bracelet, a small detail that makes a big difference.

Across northern Europe, broom was considered a symbol of courage and heroism and was woven into the clothes of warriors, eventually becoming heraldry decoration in royal coats of arms. It was used in folk medicine for many ailments including gout and heart conditions and King Henry VIII famously drank a broom infused tea as an antidote to his many excesses. As the name suggests many brooms were made from broom, as were baskets and the thatching on cottages. It was believed that sweeping the ground with a brush of broom will cleanse the area of unwanted influences. Broom was said to protect against poltergeist activity and was hung in the home to keep evil at bay. The flowers were considered a sign of energy, vitality and plenty and were used for decoration during the Whitsun festival. It was traditional to include a bundle of broom in wedding celebrations and for the bride to keep a broom staff close by the night before, to enhance fertility. Ashes of broom were used to treat dropsy and it is said that its strong smell can tame wild horses and dogs. The flowers we used to create our broom coin are from an extremely rare, small, light pink cultivar called ‘Cytisus Mrs F Rowbotham’ kindly gifted to us by her granddaughter.