Thousands of religious and sanctified depictions of the Virgin Mary abound. While there is no single Virgin Mary jewelry design accepted by all the world's Catholics as official, several depictions have become quite famous. In particular, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Medals and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medals have won wide acceptance by Catholic followers. Both of these famous pieces of Virgin Mary jewelry originated as apparitions witnessed by young devout Catholics. In the case of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Medal, a poor man named Juan Diego encountered a visage of the Virgin Mary on a hilltop in Tepeyac, Mexico. This apparition of the Virgin Mary instructed her charge to create a sanctuary on the hillside for her. She also emblazoned his tilma (a special cloth) with her image. Diego's tilma has not degraded to this day, 470 years later. It is this event which is credited with the largely voluntary conversion of Latin America to Christianity. In 1830, a Sister Catherine was visited by an apparition of the Virgin Mother. This young nun received detailed instructions on the design and creation of a medal honoring Mary and Jesus. She brought these instructions to the attention of her superiors, and the church honored her instincts and minted medals precisely depicting her vision. Christians honor the Virgin Mary through a host of other pieces of sacred jewelry, including rosary beads, pins, and crucifixes. Most Virgin Mary medallions are oval shaped, and many date back hundreds of years. Given how many pieces of Virgin Mary jewelry remain in common circulation, it is relatively easy to discover unique curiosities and well-priced medallions through auction. | 
