Coins


 * For other currency types in RuneScape, see: Trading Sticks, Tokkul, Pieces of Eight, and Ectotokens

Coins are the most common form of currency in RuneScape. They represent the value of virtually every single item in the game, as well as various services offered throughout.

Coins are small gold nuggets, roughly cylindrical, and are stackable items. For piles of coins containing less than 100,000, the amount is rendered precisely, such as "31633". When coins are in stacks of 100,000 up to 10,000,000, the amount is rendered in k (thousand) and the last three numbers are clipped. For example, values from 7,644,000 to 7,644,999 are all rendered as "7644k". Values of 10,000,000 and up are rendered with an M (million), and the final 100,000ths are cut. The entire range of coins from 361,000,000 to 361,999,999 is displayed as "361M". However, when the text gets cut for (K) or (M) the exact number of coins will be displayed if you examine the pile.

Players may not carry more than roughly 2.1 billion coins at a time (specifically 231-1, 2,147,483,647, or 7FFFFFFF, as limited by Java).

Players
Coins are the most often traded item; players prefer to trade their services or items for coins more often than for any other item. Coins are also referred to as gold pieces, gp, or simply g by players, although this term in uncommonly implemented in the programming. One of the only NPCs who say "GP" ingame is the brewer dwarf in Keldagrim. The reason given is that he prefers to associate with gold at the expense of proper terminology. When a glassblower was added to Entrana, he always referred to coins as 'gold pieces'. The reason for this is unknown.

Like the game, values are often abbreviated when dealing with large amounts. Players however, tend to abbreviate values between 1,000 to 1,000,000 with K and greater values with M. For example, 49,000 coins is commonly called "49K" and 6,000,000 coins are called "6M". B (billion) is seldom used as most players do not possess such a large number of coins.

Getting Coins
There are many ways for a player to earn coins ingame. This is not a complete list. See also Money Making Guide

Skills
One way is to use skills (Mining, Fishing, Cooking etc.) to sell to the local general store or to other players. Bulk supplies are normally worth a lot more to other players than to stores, though the best deals are normally found on the official or fansite forums.

Merchanting
Another way of getting money is by selling items to other players higher than its shop price, or the price they bought it for. An example is buying a mithril pickaxe for 1,300gp, then selling it off for 4k. This way, you make a profit instead of just getting back what you spent on the item in the first place.

Bow string and Flax
A relatively easy way to get money is by picking flax and spinning it into bow string, or just keeping it as flax. The main place to do this is in Seer's Village, because not very far south of there is a field of flax, and a spinning wheel in a building in the city. Many people will buy flax for up to 100 coins each. Many people will buy the more prefered bow string for up to 200 coins a piece.

Lobsters
Another great way to make money is to sell lobsters. Players buy them cooked for 200gp-230gp and 250 raw per lobster. If you can fish and cook lobsters, this is a good way for you to make money.

Combat
Killing other players in the wilderness, for a really good drop, is a dream of many. Any player with items worth taking, is likely to be a tough fight unless ambushed on the way back, having used all their food. Most killable NPCs and monsters beyond mere vermin have the potential to drop coins, or other items which can be sold. Higher level monsters tend to have higher value drops.

Scavenging
If the player involved in a combat does not collect their drop, it will appear to other players in around 30 seconds. Left items are free for all, though arrows are the subject of some debate. If the monster kills the player, then the player's unsaved items appear immediately. There are also a few item spawns which can be collected.

Items are occasionally discarded in banks, due to lack of bank space - mostly low value items, but often things that would be worth a few coins at a store.

Sometimes, someone may drop some ore. They may be Power Leveling, take as much ore as you like, they won't mind.

Begging
The least popular way is begging. Begging usually never works, and the player who does so is often flamed and are labeled as 'noobs'.

It is often frowned upon and may earn a place for the beggar on most players' ignore lists. Some players do donate gifts, such as sets of full iron, to lower levels, but it's best not to ask or pursue a gift of this sort too strongly.

Air running
The most common example on free-to-play is "Air running" on World 16. Also known as "Ess Running".

In return for bringing 25 un-noted Rune essence to the air altar south of Falador, the players training runecrafting there pay 2000-2500 coins and 25 noted rune essence, so the runner is being paid for un-noting and delivery. An alternative payment is 125 Air runes and 25 noted essence. It pays far better than begging.

Law running
Also on Entrana near Port Sarim there is "Law running" located on pay-to-play World 66 or 99.

In return for bringing 27 un-noted Pure essence to the Law altar on Entrana, the players training Runecrafting here will give you 27 laws and 27 noted essence for your delivery in world 66. Some world 66 crafters may not give ess back. If you are running in world 99, you won't get any ess back. Laws sell for about 300 gp in large quantities up to 1K for one. On world 88 the crafters trade 26 notes essence and 21 laws for 26 unnoted essence.

Before the introduction of pure essence in the game update on April 20th, 2006, a player would also get 27 rune essences in addition to the 27 laws, making it a fast free law running. Now, only pure essence can be crafted into law runes and runecrafters may trade without giving any essence back ("No ess back"). Runners may need to mine their own pure essences if their mining level is at least 30 or buy them at about 100 coins each.

Fletching and High Alchemy
Many people buy logs and fletch them into bows. To gain profit, players must make either Yew longbows (level 70 fletching) or Magic longbows (level 85 fletching). Then the use the High Alchemy spell to change these bows into gold. When High Alchemy is used, Yew bows give 768 coins per bow, and Magic longbows give 1536 coins per bow.