Coins as bases

[Connectamabob]

I use souvenir rings. Usually the kind that are ground from a single piece of decorative stone (hematite, agate, quartz, etc.), but sometimes I'll use a patterned metal one if I find one that looks like it would suit a particular figure in my lead pile.

Upsides are they have a very classy proper display base look, and make for very sturdy, weighty bases.
Downsides are they're not as cheap, not always very easy to source, they're taller than slottas (I don't care about this, but some may), and not very uniform from one example to another. Great for characters, but probably a big pain in the tuchus for armies*.

I hate slotta bases because they always look exactly like the cheap plastic they are, no matter how well finished, and I dislike most resin bases for emulating this look. Coins don't look as bad as slottas, but in my experience they also tend to look exactly like what they are no matter what. Washers are like coins, only with uglier rims. After putting all that loving work into a figure, I can't just toss it on a cheap cookie-cutter looking base.

Coins also look proportionally way too thin to me, aesthetically speaking, and from a practical perspective I really prefer being able to pin the feet or imbed the tab for maximum strength.

*I'm not an army builder/gamer, so all this is naturally biased. I can see how you'd want something super cheap and super simple if you had to grind out 30 identical figures, and/or wouldn't mind the looks if you weren't lavishing on each individual like you might with a character figure.

[Wirelizard]

Even if this was immortalized on a coin, I think we crossed a line somewhere...

This is not the only indignity Canadian coinage inflicts on Her Maj.

We feature her bare behind, too. Well, a bear behind, but what's a little spelling between friends?



The Canuck two dollar coin has Lizzie on one side, and a bear behind, as pictured above.

We're wicked, wicked colonials. Although less overtly republican than the Aussies.

[Dr. The Viking]

In Denmark it doesn't make much sense to use coins instead of washers.

The cheapest coin is the 50-øre and a washer from Bauhaus the same size is only 20 øre.

[dijit]

In Denmark it doesn't make much sense to use coins instead of washers.

The cheapest coin is the 50-øre and a washer from Bauhaus the same size is only 20 øre.

Hmmm now you tell me! I went in both silvan and xl byg were they were roughly 1kr a piece. Still we've not Got a bauhaus near here.
Duncan

[Hammers]

This is not the only indignity Canadian coinage inflicts on Her Maj.

We feature her bare behind, too. Well, a bear behind, but what's a little spelling between friends?



The Canuck two dollar coin has Lizzie on one side, and a bear behind, as pictured above.

We're wicked, wicked colonials. Although less overtly republican than the Aussies.

Is there one showing tits to?

[bc99]

I used pennies to base some of my figures, and wasn't entirely sold on them. They felt a little, small, I guess, but it's hard to argue the cost! I've tried different types of washer as well, and just haven't made up my mind how large I want the base!

Anyway, very interesting thread with everybody's input. I thought I was the only coin-baser!

[P_Clapham]

I haven't based miniatures on coins per say.  However, back when I played 40K many of my Space Marines had a nickel glued under their base to give it more heft.

[Burgundavia]

Is there one showing tits to?

Sadly no. We had a series of bills based on birds but the closest to a tit is the pine grosbeak on the $1000.

[Bako]

Is there one showing tits to?

Nope, but we've got the loonie bin covered.

I base my figures with plastic bases, washers and foreign coinage (gotta' find some use for that American stuff ). Plastic and thin/light figures tend to get based with washers and metal figures with plastic bases. They are free with many sets anyhoo.

[carlos marighela]

Sadly, Australia did away with copper coins years ago, the old 1 cent and 2c disappeared about 15 years back. I remember being a bit sad about the loss of a good basing source, when I finally got through the enormous jar of the buggers I had salted away. As 1/4" washers are 5c a throw and 3/4 " are 10c a piece there's no advantage to coin basing and the silver ones won't adhere to magnets.

I wouldn't dare do it in Brazil because the fucking coinage is an even more invidious eyetest than the US dollar bill. Why in God's name there have to be multiple version in different sizes and colours of the same denomination and why differing denominations have to be the same size is anyone's guess. Almost as fun as trying to break a R$50,00 note at a corner store.

[Hammers]

Sadly, Australia did away with copper coins years ago, the old 1 cent and 2c disappeared about 15 years back. I remember being a bit sad about the loss of a good basing source, when I finally got through the enormous jar of the buggers I had salted away. As 1/4" washers are 5c a throw and 3/4 " are 10c a piece there's no advantage to coin basing and the silver ones won't adhere to magnets.

I wouldn't dare do it in Brazil because the fucking coinage is an even more invidious eyetest than the US dollar bill. Why in God's name there have to be multiple version in different sizes and colours of the same denomination and why differing denominations have to be the same size is anyone's guess. Almost as fun as trying to break a R$50,00 note at a corner store.

Fancy that... The world is such a diverse and wonderful place seen from the distance and elevation of neatly ordered Sweden. 

[Froggy the Great]

I wouldn't dare do it in Brazil because the fucking coinage is an even more invidious eyetest than the US dollar bill.

What about just using the regular coins instead?

[Alfrik]

Shipping costs would be the final determinator to sending, er, um, Lendlease penny's for basing to other needful souls! American pennies are now just copper washed (plated) zinc now for several years.

[YPU]

I had related woes today,  I wanted to base some individual power armors in 6mm and the only base I could come up with small enough was a 1 euro cent coins, the problem is that they were pretty much dropped down here in the Netherlands, instead all payments are rounded to the nearest 5 cents. It is still legal coin but not distributed any more nor will one get them as change. So I was somewhat disappointed when I could rake up 6 where I needed 8 in total.

[twrchtrwyth]

I am more than happy to export a range of fine UK bases, approved by her Majesty (so much so she has her face on them).

Cost of the 1p base is ....face value plus postage.

Cost of the 2p is double.

Why are you charging 4p for the 2p?