But he, when on midnight our reckoning he paid,
Says, ‘Never match coins with a Coiner by trade,
Or he’ll turn your lead pieces to metal as rare
As shall fill him this globe, and leave something to spare. .(from) The Coiner Rudyard Kipling
Basic Information
A coiner is a craftsman who makes bullion coins. This is a bit of a catch-all historical term that encompasses both legitimate historical coin-stampers and treasurers as well as illegitimate counterfeiters and similar conmen.
In a criminal context, a related term is clipper - one who shaves pieces from bullion coins to make their own counterfeit coins.
For further details on the actual process used to make coins historically, see coin-stamper. For related ideas about types of currency a coiner might create, see money, bullion coin, and dual currencies.
In more modern jargon, the word "coiner" has come to mean someone who gives the name to something, or who invents a new word or phrase.
Sources
Game and Story Use
- Injecting a bit of verisimilitude into your world building, you could set up a fairly complex economy in your game world, complete with dual currencies and a counterfeiting ring.