There are many reasons to make your own coins. You can use the fake coins for treasure hunts, props in plays, or tokens for good deeds. You can make your own coins to teach children count money. Making your own coins for a reward system allows you to give the coins any monetary value. You can even make your own coins to represent rewards like ice cream cones or some other treat.Teachers can make their own coins to reward students for proper conduct or good grades. The children can then "cash" them in for prizes out of a reward box. The fake coins can also be used during parties. Guests can collect coins during the party that can be used to bid on items at an auction.Any item can be made into a coin. The fake coins can be used as your imagination sees fit.
Instructions
"Metal" Coins
1. Cut circles of various sizes from heavy cardboard. Make the disks as large as a 50-cent piece and larger.
2. "Write" the denomination of the coin with hot glue. For instance, one of the smaller coins can have the number 25 written in hot glue. This makes a raised shape on the surface of the disk. Use caution in this step because the hot glue can cause severe burns. You may want to wear heat-resistant protective gloves when doing this step. You can also use less pressure on the glue gun trigger so the glue comes out more slowly. This can avoid the glue coming into contact with your fingers.
3. Wait for the glue to cool and harden. This step is crucial for the next step to work properly. Do not try to hurry through this as the glue hardens and cools quickly.
4. Tear the aluminum foil into small squares. You want to make sure the piece of foil will cover the coins completely with one wrapping. You may need to experiment to get the size of the foil correct. The size of the foil will be determined by the size of the coins you have made.
5. Cover the coins with aluminum foil. You will want to lay the foil over the side with the glue writing on it and smooth out firmly. You should be able to see the denomination of the coin through the foil as though it were embossed.
Button Coins
6. Use colored buttons to denote certain coins. Red ones can be quarters, blue ones can be dimes, and so forth. You can also use the buttons as rewards for certain deeds. One type of button can be used to get a cookie or a half hour of television. You can offer the buttons as rewards for remembering tooth-brushing or picking up toys.
7. Paint buttons with nontoxic craft paint. Different colors can be used to for certain treasures. You can hide buttons around the party area when having birthday parties or other celebrations. As the guests find or collect the coins, they can trade them in for certain treats.
8. Paint buttons with gold or silver paint. These coins are a cheap and easy way to make a treasure box full of gold for plays or skits. Spray paint is the easiest way to achieve this look. Always paint the buttons in a well-ventilated area. You can either paint the buttons outside or open the doors and windows. There are inexpensive paint masks that you can purchase at home-improvement stores that eliminate the problem of breathing in the paint fumes.
Cardboard Coins
9. Cut circles out of heavy cardboard or poster board. These can be made the same size as actual coins.
10. Write the denomination of the coins onto the cardboard disks. You can just write the numbers, such as "25," "5" or "10." You do not need to write the cent or dollar sign on the coins.
11. Use these coins to teach young children about the value of money. You can set up a small snack bar where each item has a price. The children can then use their cardboard coins to purchase the snacks. You can even choose one of the children to act as the shop keeper. Each child can learn to add or subtract as needed for the correct change.
