Pokemon GO: How to Get Coins (Fast) & What They’re Used For

Coins are the currency of Pokemon GO, and if you’re hoping to take advantage of all those items in the shop, you’re going to need plenty of coins. Naturally, coins can be purchased for real-life cash (this is a free-2-play app after all) but that absolutely isn’t required. If you play your cards right, there’s no need to purchase coins with your hard-earned cash. Learn the best ways to earn cash with our complete guide below.

For even more info on this massive AR-experience, check out our huge article covering everything you need to know — Pokemon GO: 9 Essential Tips, Tricks & Answers To Your Questions.

Now, if we’re being totally honest, coins definitely aren’t required at all to enjoy the Pokemon GO experience. If all you want to do is capture Pokemon, you just need a few items; incense, lures, Razz berries, and Pokeballs. All of these items can be acquired from Pokestops — make frequent visits and you’ll have more than enough items.

As you level-up, better Pokeballs will drop from Pokestops, making coins completely unnecessary if you’ve got the dedication to walk. Pokestops re-up every 10-15 minutes or so, which is a remarkably quick turn-around time for a F2P app. While you’re going to a Pokestop, watch for a pink pulsating circle — that means someone’s used a Lure to attract more Pokemon to the area. Enjoy capturing!

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Coins – How To Get Them, And Why You’ll Want Them

Coins are the currency of Pokemon GO. It’s that simple. They can be used at the Shop to purchase items, permanent inventory upgrades, or limited-use Incubators.

Currently, there are three methods to earn coins:

1. Visiting Pokestops
2. Defending a Gym
3. Purchasing With Real-Life Cash

While using your hard-earned dollars is an option, it isn’t the only option. Let’s learn a little bit more about earning coins at Pokestops and (more importantly) by defending Gyms.

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Pokestops – How They Work

Your GPS map should show several locations — gyms, grassy fields (wild Pokemon) or pokestops. Depending on your area, there might be several Pokestops nearby. Pokestops are usually located in public places that are frequented by many people. They’re also an easy source of rewards and wild Pokemon.

So, what do you do with a Pokestop?

• Approach the Pokestop and spin the image with the touchpad. As it spins, items will appear on your phone’s screen. Tap the items to add them to your inventory.
  • Pokestops re-up every 10-12 minutes. It won’t take long to re-collect the contents of a local Pokestop if you pass by it often.

Pokestops are one way to earn coins, but there’s a much better strategy — capturing Gyms!

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Gyms – How Defense Reward Works

Gyms are a whole other issue. There’s a lot to learn about gyms, but if you’re a dedicated Pokemon GO trainer, capturing a gym and leaving some Pokemon behind to defend it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

To find out plenty of info on gyms, check out our guide right here: Pokemon GO – How to Become a Gym Leader

Don’t worry, you don’t need to become a Gym Leader to get lots of daily coins for free. All you have to do is assign Pokemon to defend a friendly gym.

• Assigning a Pokemon to defend your team’s gym earns you a ‘Defense Bonus’
  • Each stationed Pokemon will earn 10 Gold and 500 Stardust daily
  • You don’t need to be the Gym Leader to earn this bonus.
  • You earn a bonus with up to 10 Pokemon assigned to a gym; that’s a total 100 Gold / 5000 Stardust daily (There is no benefit to assigned more than 10 Pokemon to defend a single gym.)
  • To collect the bonus, go to the Shop and tap the ‘Shield’ icon.
  • The reward recharges every 20 hours.

Now you just need to find a friendly gym. If there is a gym with the same team color as you, simply move in and start assigned Pokemon. If you don’t, travel to any affiliated gym and attack with Pokemon a similar or higher CP value. Keep attacking until the Prestige Level is 0, the gym turns gray (neutral) and you can take it over for yourself.

Maintaining friendly gyms can be tricky if there are chumps in your neighborhood with the bright idea. But, if you want a daily dosage of free coins, this is a pretty good way to go about it.

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What Are Coins Used Buy?

The shop is filled with all those important items you’re going to need to keep your endless quest for more Pokemon going. The basic potions, revives, and other items are easy to acquire using Pokestops, but there are certain items not even Pokestops can provide. Here’s the full list of items (and upgrades) you can unlock at the Shop using coins.

• Egg Incubator (3-Use Limit)
  • Price: 150 Coins

• Inventory Bag Upgrade (+50 Slots)
  • Price: 200 Coins

• Pokemon Storage Upgrade (+50 Slots)
  • Price: 200 Coins

• Pokeballs – 20 Units / 100 Units / 200 Units
  • Price: 100 Coins / 460 Coins / 800  Coins

• Incense – 1 Unit / 8 Units / 25 Units
  • Price: 80 Coins / 500 Coins / 1,250 Coins

• Lucky Eggs – 1 Unit / 8 Units / 25 Units
  • Price: 80 Coins / 500 Coins / 1,250 Coins

• Lure Modules – 1 Unit / 8 Units
  • Price: 100 Coins / 680 Coins

The inventory upgrades are the most useful — it won’t take long to fill our inventory if you frequently visit Pokestops. But those Lucky Eggs are a good way to earn fast XP if that’s what you’re after.

Are you interested in earning lots of coins? Go your own personal method that works wonders? Let us know your thoughts on the Pokemon GO currency in the comments.