Wizarding and Other Coins

• Type: Currency, Communication Device
• Owners: Wizarding World governments (e.g., Ministry of Magic), Gringotts Wizarding Bank, various individuals
• Maker: Goblins (Wizarding Currency), Hermione Granger (D.A. Communication Coins), unknown (other cursed coins)

Coins serve as the primary form of currency in the Wizarding World and have also been adapted for magical communication. The standard wizarding currency in Great Britain consists of three denominations, minted and managed by Goblins at Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

• Galleon: The largest and most valuable coin, made of gold. It is circular and thick, with a serial number around the edge identifying the Goblin who minted it.
• Sickle: A silver coin, smaller and less valuable than a Galleon. There are seventeen Sickles to a Galleon.
• Knut: The smallest and least valuable coin, made of bronze. There are twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle.

Other notable types of coins include:

• Leprechaun Gold: Also known as Fool's Gold, these coins are magically created by Leprechauns. They appear identical to real Galleons but vanish after a few hours, leaving the holder with nothing.
• D.A. Communication Coins: These were fake Galleons created by Hermione Granger. Instead of a serial number, the edge was enchanted to display the date and time of the next Dumbledore's Army meeting.
• Cursed Communication Coins: Similar in concept to the D.A. coins, Draco Malfoy used a pair of cursed coins to communicate with Madam Rosmerta while she was under the Imperius Curse.

While standard wizarding coins are not inherently magical beyond their creation by Goblins, they can be enchanted for various purposes.

• Currency: Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts form the backbone of the wizarding economy. Their value is strictly maintained, and counterfeiting is treated as a serious crime. The complex exchange rates (17 Sickles to a Galleon, 29 Knuts to a Sickle) are a notable feature of wizarding culture.
• Communication: Hermione Granger masterfully applied a Protean Charm to a set of fake Galleons for Dumbledore's Army. When Harry Potter altered the date on his master coin, the numbers on all other coins would change to match. The coins would also heat up to alert the owner, making them a secure and covert method of communication. This was an advanced piece of magic, as the Protean Charm is typically N.E.W.T.-level magic. Draco Malfoy used a similar, though unspecified, dark enchantment on his own pair of coins to coordinate his efforts to smuggle a cursed necklace into Hogwarts.
• Deception: Leprechaun Gold's primary magical property is its impermanence. It is used for entertainment, such as being showered from the sky at the Quidditch World Cup, but is worthless as actual currency.

The system of wizarding currency has been in place for centuries, with its production overseen by the Goblins of Gringotts. The control of the economy and the minting of coins have historically been points of contention between wizards and Goblins, contributing to Goblin Rebellions. In the 1994-1995 school year, Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, paid off a bet with Fred Weasley and George Weasley using Leprechaun Gold following the Quidditch World Cup final. In 1995, Hermione Granger invented the D.A. communication coins as a means for members of Dumbledore's Army to be notified of meetings without being discovered by Dolores Umbridge. The idea was inspired by the Dark Mark, which Lord Voldemort uses to summon his Death Eaters. During the 1996-1997 school year, Draco Malfoy, acting on Voldemort's orders, used a pair of cursed coins to maintain contact with Madam Rosmerta in Hogsmeade. This allowed him to pass her the cursed opal necklace intended for Albus Dumbledore.

Coins are a fundamental element of world-building in the series. Harry Potter's discovery of the small fortune his parents left him in Gringotts Vault 687 is his first tangible connection to his place in the Wizarding World and provides him with independence. The Weasley family's relative poverty, often measured by the small number of Galleons in their vault, is a constant source of characterization and motivation. The enchanted coins created by Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy serve as parallel plot devices. Hermione's coins represent friendship, rebellion, and cleverness used for a good cause, while Draco's represent conspiracy, coercion, and the use of similar ingenuity for dark purposes. The D.A. coins were crucial to the group's survival and ability to operate, while Malfoy's were instrumental in his attempt on Dumbledore's life. The use of Leprechaun Gold highlights Ludo Bagman's irresponsibility and introduces the theme of deception early in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

• In an interview, J.K. Rowling explained that she chose the odd numbers of 17 and 29 for the currency conversion rates to emphasize the different and somewhat illogical nature of the Wizarding World compared to the Muggle world. (J.K. Rowling interview)
• In the films, the prop coins were designed with various imagery. Some Galleons feature a dragon, while others show the likeness of a famous wizard or a Goblin. (film)
• The Pottermore website has stated that a witch or wizard attempting to transfigure an object into a Galleon would find that it triggers an anti-counterfeiting charm, turning the object into a mushroom. (Pottermore)