Where to Sell Native American Jewelry – Las Vegas & Henderson, NV

Sell Native American Jewelry

Native American Jewelry is jewelry made by a member of the Indigenous peoples of the United States. Native American jewelry shows the cultural and historical diversity of each tribal group. Each piece of jewelry shows different techniques and raw materials for different tribal groups. Native American jewelry also has different meanings for each tribal group. Read more to learn more about where to sell Native American Jewelry.

Native American Jewelry Buyer

Nevada Coin Mart is the largest Native American jewelry buyer in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. Sell your Native American jewelry with us today and get awesome prices!

Brief History

Jewelry is no stranger to prehistoric North America. Archeologists discovered four bone earrings near Fairbanks, Alaska, which is at least 12,000 years old. Paleo-Indians—the first inhabitants of the Americas— who settled in the American Southwest used multicolored stones and shells to make beads and pendants. Archeologists found other indigenous peoples jewelry across the Southwest, such as antler, bone, shell beads from 7000 BC in Russell Cave in Alabama, Olivella shells that were from 6000 BC in Nevada, copper jewelry from 3000 BC in Lake Superior, and carved stone beads from 1500 BC in Poverty Point in Louisiana.

Another indigenous tribe, the Plains Indians or Plains Cree, are known for their intricate beadwork. They used shells like marginella and olivella, which were bartered from the Gulf of Mexico and the Californian West Coast, eventually making their way into the Plains. Items such as abalone, dentalia, mussel shell gorgets were valuable materials used in jewelry making.

A piece of jewelry called Heishe—organic shells or stones made into tube or disc-shaped beads—was something that a few Southwest tribes have in common. In the early 1800s, silversmiths were the ones who made the majority of the jewelry found in the American Southwest. They made various silver jewelry such as bridles, silver buttons, belt buckles, etc.

Native American jewelry is also very much celebrated that a lot of people are looking into owning some pieces. You can sell your Native American jewelry as well.

Apache

Traditionally Apache men and women wore shell beads and turquoise jewelry. Apache women were famous for wearing multiple necklaces at a time ranging from chokers to beads made from various materials such as turquoise, abalone, etc. The Apache people also made jewelry from silver and brass and set them with turquoise. The Plains Cree people were a huge influence on the Apache craftsmen when it comes to beadworks.

Hopi

In 1898, the first Hopi person—Sikyatata, became a silversmith. Hopi silversmiths are popular for using an overlay technique in making silver jewelry.

Navajo

During the 19th century, the Navajo people began working with silver. And the first Navajo blacksmith—Atsidi Sani or Old Smith, also became the first Navajo silversmith. Atsidi Sani learned silversmithing from a Mexican silversmith in 1853. As a result, many Navajo craftsmen who eventually learned to work with metals started crafting jewelry. The Navajo craftsmen commonly use silver in making jewelry such as belt buckles, bracelets, bridles, buttons, earrings, crescent-shaped pendants called najas, and a lot more.

One of the most iconic pieces of jewelry made by the Navajo and other Southwestern indigenous people is the Squash Blossom Necklace.