A fun game using coins. A recreational game.
We’ve put together a collection of coin-based games and recreational activities!
When you think of games that use coins, the popular coin games at arcades probably come to mind first.
But did you know there are all sorts of games you can play using the coins in your own wallet?
Classic examples include “10-Yen Soccer,” which was popular among kids back in the day, and “Underwater Coin Drop,” a staple of summer festivals.
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of games you can play with coins!
Give them a try during school breaks or at parties when you’re looking for a quick game everyone can enjoy.
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Fun games with coins: Recreation games (11–20)
Coin Tower

This is a “coin tower,” where you skillfully and carefully stack coins.
Have you ever done it with playing cards? It’s the same idea, but since coins are round, it’s extremely difficult and requires patience.
However, if you work patiently and take your time, you can definitely do it.
Even slight vibrations can cause it to collapse, so try it in a place where vibrations won’t reach it!
Coin magic

Coin magic is a handy trick you can do anywhere as long as you have a coin.
There are many types, from very simple ones to slightly more advanced routines.
This one is easy, but at a glance it’s completely baffling, and the explanation covers how it works.
Many of the tricks involve making a coin “travel,” and once you learn the Classic Palm technique, you’ll be able to perform most of them smoothly.
You’ll also need a bit of practice on your presentation.
Coin polishing

As the name suggests, it’s “coin polishing,” where you polish coins.
You sometimes see completely blackened 10-yen coins, right? You patiently polish those little by little.
Put some detergent with abrasive on a cotton swab, polish, wipe it off when it gets dirty, then apply the abrasive detergent again and polish—repeat this endlessly.
Perfect for when you’re bored out of your mind and have absolutely nothing else to do!
One-yen coin domino

Patiently lining up small dominoes sounds difficult enough just imagining it, but doing it with 1-yen coins? That’s “1-yen coin dominoes.” Just hearing about it makes you feel faint, doesn’t it… And since 1-yen coins are round and hard to stand up neatly, it’s many times harder than regular dominoes.
But if you manage it, it’s a spectacular sight and incredibly satisfying!
A game where you guess the amount of yen from the sound of coins dropping

It’s a game where you drop coins, cover your eyes, and try to guess which denomination they are based on subtle differences in the sound.
First, keep your eyes open and drop them in front of you to learn the sounds! That said, it’s very difficult, so you probably won’t get many right… Another variation is to drop several at once and guess the total amount.
It’s a low-key but surprisingly satisfying game when you get it right!
medal game

Didn’t you get hooked on them at the arcade when you were a kid? Medal games.
There are a few different machines you can play with medals—let’s keep racking up the coins you’ve got! That said, they don’t exactly skyrocket.
You can slowly and steadily save them up, or go big and splash your medals to try for a huge win!
Fun games using coins. Recreational games (21–30)
10-yen coin basketball
This is “10-Yen Coin Basketball,” where you pretend a 10-yen coin is a ball and shoot it into a goal made with your hands.
One hand forms a wall, and the other curves around along that wall to make a round goal.
The shooter places both hands together on the table, pinches the 10-yen coin between their thumbs, and uses only thumb power to flick the coin toward the goal.
The tricky part is that you’re allowed to use only your thumbs.


