Comments on: 7 Gamefull Uses for Campaign Coins

By: Dark Father

Dark Father — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:19:13 +0000

I have been using international coins for about 10 years now in games, both science fiction and fantasy, and the easiest use for them is as actual money for the game, if you acquire enough of them.

In 1999, I had a friend at an international bank order me about 5000 brass, copper, and stainless steel coins from a country with reasonably denominated coins, and very good exchange rates. Each time I travel over seas, I likewise fill my luggage with cool coins. Turns out I have way too many coins, a game could be placed with 1000 or less as long as you have denominations.

These coins are excellent, if a bit expensive to use as coinage, but they are beautiful, denominated well, and sturdy. Do not buy the ones with spiky sharp images or edges, they wear poorly (no real coin would have as much relief as these do for that reason) but if you are a DM who wants to give the players a real tactile experience, coins as currency are excellent.

The coins also have much more meaning that notations on paper. The first time I dumped over a dragon’s horde made up of huge Mexican 50 peso coins the players where screaming for 10 minutes like little girls. And the player who had to pony up 10k for a castle really felt the meaning of that much money.

By: Webkatalog

Webkatalog — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:46:23 +0000

Really great post, well written, concise and comprehensive. Thank you.

By: Johnn

Johnn — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:12:05 +0000

Awesome Yax. Let me know how it goes, or if you discover new uses.

By: Yax

Yax — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:17:58 +0000

I've been wondering about new ways to use my campaign coins. This is just what I have needed. I have only used them in #2 fashion so far. Thanks Johnn! Yax’s last blog post..Retro Traps: 5 Evil Scenarios from the Bad Old Days

By: Johnn

Johnn — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:39:26 +0000

Great ideas! The coins might even work for Dark Heresy and other sci-fi settings. They definitely have an imperial flavour to them.

By: Samuel Van Der Wall

Samuel Van Der Wall — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 08:48:56 +0000

I wonder how you could take some of these ideas and transfer them into a modern (non-fantasy) campaign? A few that immediately spring to mind would be an Indiana Jones style adventure. Or possibly artifact retrieval in a recently discovered pirate ship. Or maybe the player characters are placed in an adventure in a remote part of the world that trades in physical goods of value more than paper money currency (gold would hold value here).