I'm contemplating using some sort of props for coins in my upcoming D&D campaign, and I am wondering if any of y'all have any experience with this. I've looked at the Campaign Coins and the comments and these are 1) pricey and 2) you'd need multiples.
Having say 4 players, it's sounds like I'd need 3-4 sets of these to make this work. That's a lot of cash. I've searched for plastic coins and though I've found both gold and silver colored plastic, they are all one size and hence wouldn't work well for demoninations (5,25,50, 100 etc).
I'm contemplating going to the hardware store and buying a bunch of washers and krylon. That way I could have different sizes for each demonination and colors for type.
Any help, ideas or thoughts are appreciated.
I had thought about using washers too until I realized that pennies and nickels would be cheaper.
I use actual Pesos but those are way below cooper pieces now... :(
I had thought about using washers too until I realized that pennies and nickels would be cheaper.
Really? I did not realize that. Still I'd need more sizes.
Using pennies and nickels, how did you represent:
CP (1,5,10,25,50) denominations
SP (same)
GP (same + 100,250,500, 1K etc etc)
PP (same)
I was going to use those spiffy gold colored presidential dollar coins, and was collecting them for that purpose, but I kept spending the damned things when I was low on cash and didn't want to tap the savings account.
Stupid nicotine addiction...
That'd definately be too expensive, and smoking is crazy spendy.
I never actually implemented the idea.
I would not have used a single coin to represent many. For me, that would have defeated the whole purpose. For such large amounts, I just would have described them. I was looking more for flipping a single coin, or tossing a pouch full.
I gave up on the idea because I could not think of a good way to get rid of that pesky imprinting, which, again, I thought would ruin the suspension of disbelief. I had not thought of Krylon. I have never used it before. Could you put it on thick enough to cover up the imprint?
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The campaign cons are beautiful, but honestly, you could get by cheaper with real coins.
I used to use poker chips, but now I use coloured bingo chips and mini poker chips (or rumolli chips). I use different colous for different denominations.
When I played Eberron, I also used monopoly money for letters of credit from House Kundarak. I stamped them with rubber stamps with funny symbols in glittery ink to represent House Sivis notarization arcane marks.
I really like coin props. They give the players a real connection with their finances, while simultaneously encouraging them to spend money arbitrarily on things like food and drinks and bribes and tips.
Edit: As an aside, I usually rescale all the money values to suit my tastes for whatever I'm running. It drives my players nuts, especially when I use non-metric value relationships, like 8 bits to a wheel, 6 wheels to a crown, etc.
You might try this.
I've been collecting foreign currencies since I was a wee child. There's a satisfying *clink* when I toss that leather pouch down onto the table.
I forgot to mention Chuck E. Cheese tokens.
I one gathered a hundred 10 pesos coins you to show my players what a healthy sack it was.... They complain when I argue to the they can't be easely carrying thousands of gp on their money pouches...
And for those who haven't doing that already, 100 medium coigs (a tad bit than a quarter and twice as thick) fills quite nicelly your regular dice bag.
Custom tokens expensive
Some stuff here too.
Thanks for all the links!
The more I think about it, the more impractical it seems. Using real money seems cheapest, but how do you keep the players from counterfeiting then? If I was crazy I'd buy 4 sets of campaign coins and not have to worry about it.
I had not thought of Krylon. I have never used it before. Could you put it on thick enough to cover up the imprint?
Probably not.
8 bits to a wheel, 6 wheels to a crown, etc.
Running Runequest or something? ;)
Using real money seems cheapest, but how do you keep the players from counterfeiting then?
Well, one, if you have players who would counterfeit, which I would consider cheating, you have larger issues to worry about.
I would look into the foreign coins. I think those could work perfectly. Some might even have numbers on you could use for denominations.
Using real money seems cheapest, but how do you keep the players from counterfeiting then?I would look into the foreign coins. I think those could work perfectly. Some might even have numbers on you could use for denominations.
I agree. If the Smyrna coin place gave you any sort of multiples of certain coins instead of random, it'd be a better bet.
You chould also try the 1$ stores in the toy or party section.
You chould also try the 1$ stores in the toy or party section.
Not enough variety.
I think I'd need to find large quantities of almost worthless national currency. Real money is cheaper than toys, sad, huh?
I was doing some snooping last night. Euros seem perfect. They all have a number on the back and each country does a different front. Some of the fronts would really work for a Fantasy campaign.
Unfortunately, I could not find a site where I could just buy a roll of coins. I wonder if one of our fine European friends (as long as they did not see my little jibe at the UK in the other thread) might procure some rolls for you.
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Over the years I've amassed a huge collection of old Roman coins that look great for gaming.
You can buy Roman Imperials in lots for as little as a couple dollars. They're usually sold in lots of 20-50 coins, and are almost always 'uncleaned,' which means you stand a chance of finding a gold or silver piece. I'd look at ebay.
Mardi Gras doubloons work nicely for gold and silver pieces, and for coppers, you can get old British pennies about the same size, or Chinese coppers with the square hole in the middle.
Mardi Gras doubloons work nicely for gold and silver pieces, and for coppers, you can get old British pennies about the same size, or Chinese coppers with the square hole in the middle.
And then what about plat? How about getting denominations? These are the things that sink the toy coin idea as impractical, thought the price is right.
Over the years I've amassed a huge collection of old Roman coins that look great for gaming.
You can buy Roman Imperials in lots for as little as a couple dollars. They're usually sold in lots of 20-50 coins, and are almost always 'uncleaned,' which means you stand a chance of finding a gold or silver piece. I'd look at ebay.
I do need to find a source of bulk useless/low value foreign currency.
Mardi Gras doubloons work nicely for gold and silver pieces, and for coppers, you can get old British pennies about the same size, or Chinese coppers with the square hole in the middle.And then what about plat? How about getting denominations? These are the things that sink the toy coin idea as impractical, thought the price is right.
I've got a bunch of Mardi Gras doubloons in front of me. The standard colors are Purple, Green and Gold (the Mardi Gras colors) and Silver. There are also some Red and Blue ones. They're anodized aluminum, they chink nicely, and they're all the same size. As a bonus, they're all stamped with various krewes which are mostly named for ancient gods and many have fantasy themes.
Easy way to do it here:
Green = Copper
Silver = Silver
Gold = Gold
Purple = Platinum
As for denominations, those are for paper money or later times where the value of the coin was separate from the metal. And part of the point of the 3.X D&D coinage system is that the metal is the denomination: 10 coppers to the silver, 10 silvers to the gold, 10 golds to the platinum. It bears scant resemblance to any medieval coinage system, which would have groschen, half-pence, and so on.
If you want something to symbolize sacks and chests of coins, use poker chips.
