How to make physical Bitcoins?

[Bitcoin Oz]

Get a  badge making machine and create buttons you can pin on things that you fill with btc.

People love collecting pins and buttons for some reason. A priv key could quite easily be underneath the cover of it.

[casascius]

So you take every coin back at the BTC price as long as the seal is not broken?
Aka do you hope for these coins being traded like the real thing?

Not that I had an x-ray at hands but I rather doubt that these coins will ever circulate much as it is far too tempting to get hands on the key.

My position is as reasonable as I think I could possibly get:  I promise that every coin I sell is an honest coin, and that I have made a reasonable effort to make them snoop-proof given the budget and type of project this is.  I know of no way to snoop the private key out of a coin, and don't think there's any trivial way.  On the other hand, there is no way I can test against every kind of ray, wave, or whatever there may be out there.

It is entirely possible that someone resourceful could figure out a way to snoop my coins, and there is no reasonable way I could be expected to guarantee against that.  If someone succeeded, I'd certainly be interested in buying the coin back off that person, so I could inspect the coin and confirm it was indeed snooped (seeing is believing).  But I don't think I could be expected to buy every coin back from everybody, nor do I think everyone would expect that.

I doubt the coins will be traded much as simple money, mainly due to the markup above face value.  Their main purpose is as a proof of concept, collectibility, and a functional and tangible representation of a bitcoin.  But anyone may do with them as they please.

[Rugatu]

You got answers 

http://www.rugatu.com/questions/1281/how-to-make-physical-bitcoins

[giszmo]

So you take every coin back at the BTC price as long as the seal is not broken?
Aka do you hope for these coins being traded like the real thing?

Not that I had an x-ray at hands but I rather doubt that these coins will ever circulate much as it is far too tempting to get hands on the key.

My position is as reasonable as I think I could possibly get:  I promise that every coin I sell is an honest coin, and that I have made a reasonable effort to make them snoop-proof given the budget and type of project this is.  I know of no way to snoop the private key out of a coin, and don't think there's any trivial way.  On the other hand, there is no way I can test against every kind of ray, wave, or whatever there may be out there.

It is entirely possible that someone resourceful could figure out a way to snoop my coins, and there is no reasonable way I could be expected to guarantee against that.  If someone succeeded, I'd certainly be interested in buying the coin back off that person, so I could inspect the coin and confirm it was indeed snooped (seeing is believing).  But I don't think I could be expected to buy every coin back from everybody, nor do I think everyone would expect that.

I doubt the coins will be traded much as simple money, mainly due to the markup above face value.  Their main purpose is as a proof of concept, collectibility, and a functional and tangible representation of a bitcoin.  But anyone may do with them as they please.

Ok, it's getting pointless, but wouldn't the easiest way be to buy exactly the same seals you are buying?

Else I agree that these coins will be what your grand children will stare at with eyes wide open knowing they could buy what not with it.

[casascius]

The seals are custom. And the hologram industry doesn't typically counterfeit to order, any more than you can simply ask a locksmith to make a key to your neighbors house from scratch. Try getting identical seals and see if it's really that easy.

[giszmo]

Here in Chile I get keys duplicated for 45ct. the piece. They don't ask anything. Done it many times.

(Funnily you have to register with your RUT (equivalent to the social security number) when entering free, public parks or other random places.)

[casascius]

Here in Chile I get keys duplicated for 45ct. the piece. They don't ask anything. Done it many times.

(Funnily you have to register with your RUT (equivalent to the social security number) when entering free, public parks or other random places.)

Of course, but by "from scratch" I mean without the original key.  Something within the realm of a professional locksmith, rather than the newest 16-year-old employee of the local hardware store.

When I had these holograms made, I was required to write a letter to state my legal claim to even use all of the words and images that went into the logo (such as Casascius, the BTC logo, etc.).  For example I had to explain in writing that the BTC logo belonged to an open-source project, that its original author had released it into the public domain (including prints of the forum posts where it was released) and a good-faith assertion that my use of the mark was rightful.  Making holograms requires a much more coordinated effort and high-value assets than duplicating keys, requires a pretty big budget even if you're NOT copying something fraudulently, and sending someone the holograms and saying "can you copy this, hopefully on the cheap" likely won't get anyone very far unless they are very cozy with the people making them.

[SimonL]

Here in Chile I get keys duplicated for 45ct. the piece. They don't ask anything. Done it many times.

(Funnily you have to register with your RUT (equivalent to the social security number) when entering free, public parks or other random places.)

Of course, but by "from scratch" I mean without the original key.  Something within the realm of a professional locksmith, rather than the newest 16-year-old employee of the local hardware store.

When I had these holograms made, I was required to write a letter to state my legal claim to even use all of the words and images that went into the logo (such as Casascius, the BTC logo, etc.).  For example I had to explain in writing that the BTC logo belonged to an open-source project, that its original author had released it into the public domain (including prints of the forum posts where it was released) and a good-faith assertion that my use of the mark was rightful.  Making holograms requires a much more coordinated effort and high-value assets than duplicating keys, requires a pretty big budget even if you're NOT copying something fraudulently, and sending someone the holograms and saying "can you copy this, hopefully on the cheap" likely won't get anyone very far unless they are very cozy with the people making them.

Other mechanisms for hologram manufacturers are in place to prevent counterfeiting as well, the hologram can be registered on a worldwide database that legit hologram manufacturers will not copy from. So that leaves few avenues for copying the hologram design. Also Mike MAY have other safety mechanisms in place but in order to keep them valid can't disclose them, you never know...