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Everyone’s frothing at the mouth over Bitcoin, so I bought some. Gold, silver and bronze ones, for about four bucks each.
These are novelty metal coins, not real Bitcoin. There’s actually no such thing as a physical Bitcoin, since it’s a virtual currency. But if you want something to hold and show off, these look pretty good. The coins from my video aren’t listed anymore, so the button goes to a current set of gold- and silver-plated commemorative Bitcoin coins with cases.
- Heavy, metallic feel
- Detailed circuit-board design
- Comes in gold, silver and bronze tones
- Fun conversation piece or gag gift
- Very cheap
- Not actual Bitcoin and worth nothing as crypto
- One capsule arrived cracked
- Thin packaging
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Unboxing the gold coin
Each coin comes in a little plastic sleeve, inside a clear capsule. One of my capsules was cracked, which is pretty bad packaging. It popped apart, and the coin inside is pretty heavy and definitely metallic.
It’s about an inch and a half in diameter, with a gold-tone circuit-board look and a coin edge.
Bronze and silver versions
I bought a couple of different variations. The bronze one has the same big Bitcoin B. The silver one shows off the circuit-board design on the back really well. The text on the coin talks up everything Bitcoin is supposed to be: digital, decentralized and peer-to-peer.
There’s no such thing as a physical Bitcoin
People were paying something like $18,000 to $20,000 for a Bitcoin when I made this video, but not for one like this. Bitcoin is a virtual currency built on blockchain, a distributed ledger. I’d even argue “currency” is a bit of a misnomer: it’s more of an accounting and transaction-execution system.
A physical coin like this is just a representation, and that’s exactly why I picked it up. If you want to buy real Bitcoin, do it at your own risk. It’s speculative, and I’d hesitate to even call it an investment.
Why Bitcoin is interesting anyway
Bitcoin could be very disruptive to the world financial system, particularly to big financial institutions that don’t want you to use it, and to governments that rely on auditing your transactions for taxes. We’ll see how Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies keep evolving.
Who these are for
If you want an unofficial Bitcoin for a lot less than a real one, these are decent-looking, pretty heavy metal coins. They make a fun desk piece, a gag gift for a crypto fan, or a prop for a video. Just know that’s all they are.
FAQ
Are physical Bitcoin coins real Bitcoin?
No. They’re novelty metal coins. Real Bitcoin exists only digitally.
How much did they cost?
About $4 each when I bought them.
How big are they?
About an inch and a half across.
What finishes are there?
I bought gold, silver and bronze tones.
Are they heavy?
Yes, they feel pretty heavy and definitely metallic.
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