TOPIC: Token Storage and Token Travel Solutions Thoughts

I saw a thread earlier that has come up before about token storage and transport. With as many new players as we have, I thought some might find value in some of the solutions I've come up with over the past several years.

Tokens since 2007 have been uniform in size (40 mm diameter by 3 mm height and weighs just over 11 grams each.) Prior to that, the woodies varied a bit in size and weight. Most were about 38 mm diameter and a weight of 2.8 grams.

40mm is helpful as it is roughly the same size as a standard poker chip (39mm by just over 3 mm height) as well as an American Eagle Silver Dollar (40.6 mm by 3mm and 31 grams.)

Poker and American Eagle Silver Dollar storage and carrying solutions are a great starting place.

Storage and carrying should be two different solutions once you have more than a couple hundred tokens (possibly sooner.) There are tokens you likely won't bring to cons or travel with - for those think storage.
Storage
Plastic 40 slot cases -
There are tokens you likely won't bring to cons or travel with - for those, the plastic 40 slot carrying cases are I probably have 40-50 of those. I store completion tokens, monster bits, consumables, and trade goods in those. They have removable inserts but I generally just leave them all filled in. About 10 tokens fit per slot.
www.containerstore.com/s/craft-hobby/40-compartment-box-with-dividers/1d?productId=10029796
(Trent sells these as well for a good price - they frequently run out at container store so his is always a good resource.)

Binders -
The OPTIMA binders work well for storing collections or for small collections for transport. They fit 15 tokens per page with 8-10 pages per binder. These are good for storing tokens that you are just collecting (like a collection of all 2014 tokens, etc.) It is important to keep the middle insert for each row of tokens and put it back in with the tokens - that helps to keep them a tight fit and not just slide out.
www.lighthouse.us/collect-stamps/album-systems-stock-sheets/optima/
Trent as these as well and sometimes at better pricing than Lighthouse.

Pre-transmute piles
We all end up with stacks of tokens that are destined to be mulched. In the past, I've tossed them into gallon zip lock bags by type (DS, PS, MS, etc.) but got to the point where separating them by rarity made transmutes easier. Small kid play buckets work well for these. I am trying out these now where I just toss them in and when a bucket gets full enough, I'll transmute that bunch.
www.amazon.com/ArtCreativity-Plastic-Assorted-Buckets-Practical/dp/B07F96LFGB/ref=sr_1_23?keywords=mini+plastic+buckets&qid=1637616404&sr=8-23

Travel cases
This has been the more difficult solution over the years.
I don't recommend the aluminum carrying cases that you'll find at lighthouse, etc.. The handles and hinges aren't terribly strong and will break over time. Having your case crash to the ground emptying its contents everywhere at the airport isn't fun.

Similarly, having a case where the tokens move around a lot means digging quite a bit to find specific ones. You want something that holds them tightly in place. Lastly, binders without sleeves to put the binders into risks flinging tokens about.

Binders
The OPTIMA Binders are really good for around 120-150 tokens depending on which binder you get (8 to 10 pages at 15 tokens per page.) This allows for a build or two for most players. The pages are held via 3 ring binder and are tight fits holding them reasonably well in place. The binders are then inserted into binder sleeves for addition protection. Trent and Kirk have these in stock and you can find them elsewhere but their prices are generally the best you'll find for these.
www.trenttokens.com/collections/trent-tokens-binders/products/token-binder-optima-ringbinder-classic
www.tdtavern.com/accessories/

As your collection you want to bring gets bigger, you start looking at either multiple binders in a backpack or rolling suitcase or a bigger and tougher case. In any respect, you will want something to put the tokens into first before putting them into your bigger carrying case. I found coin trays for old silver dollars to be ideal.

Coin Trays
American Eagle Dollar coin trays snugly fit tokens and you can just stack trays on top of each other if you have something to carry them with. Lighthouse, etc make aluminum cases just for these but the weight of tokens tends to destroy those cases pretty quickly while travelling (for home storage, those cases are great.)
The trays are 35 slots per page at 39 mm each. Quite a few players use these because it is a pretty easy solution.
www.lighthouse.us/coin-trays-l.html (2 trays per order - they aren't cheap - maybe someone has a less expensive source to buy these.)

Tough Carrying Cases
The hard part was finding a carrying case tough enough to handle token weight. Pelican makes cases for cameras, travel, etc that are as close to indestructible as you will find (not kidding - if you are near your case and it gets destroyed, you almost certainly didn't survive whatever killed it.) They are the standard for adventure photographers and the like.

I use a Pelican 1450 for my tokens at conventions. They come with foam inserts that you can cut to whatever uses you need. In my case, I cut out the size of the trays - left the top and bottom foam inserts then cut out slots for consumable bottles. It fits 10-12 trays of tokens plus another 50-100 tokens in consumables bottles. It is lockable and meets TSA requirements for size and access.
-The downside to this case is this many tokens is HEAVY. Filled, it is 35 tokens per tray plus some bottles so around 450 tokens (see prior math making that 5 kg/11 pounds plus another 5 pounds for the case itself.) Pelican has smaller cases and I'm actively working to cut how much I bring to a convention so I could use one of them.
www.pelican.com/us/en/product/cases/protector/1450?sku=1450-000-240
Generally, TD doesn't like you bringing in roller bags into dungeons so you might want to avoid that.

Consumables transport
You want your consumables readily available during a run if you use them. The cases aren't great solutions for that. Trent's token bottles are a really good solution. I have also used 40 mm rigid plastic bottles with screw on tops to hold around 20 tokens each. Whitman coin wallets also work really well.
www.trenttokens.com/collections/token-potion-bottles
www.tdtavern.com/accessories/

Custom cases
There are a handful of people selling custom cases for token storage and transport. These tend to have slots exactly fitting current tokens with some mechanism to keep them from falling out (covers, etc..)
Rockwell cases are nice wooden cases
truedungeon.com/forum?view=topic&catid=5&id=248785

In the past, there was someone doing leather cases with plexiglass on the inside with slots (and covers) for tokens (I was lucky enough to buy one and would definitely buy more if these became available again.)

Odds and ends
There are small poker chip trays that, by pure coincidence, hold exactly 25 tokens. This is pretty useful for sorting transmutes
I'm not sure where I found mine but they are trays of 4 slots for chips that just happen to work out to about 75 mm length.

I hope some of these suggestions are helpful - please feel free to comment to add other discoveries you've made for storage or transport of your tokens!

Fred

Fred K wrote: I saw a thread earlier that has come up before about token storage and transport. With as many new players as we have, I thought some might find value in some of the solutions I've come up with over the past several years.

Tokens since 2007 have been uniform in size (40 mm diameter by 3 mm height and weighs just over 11 grams each.) Prior to that, the woodies varied a bit in size and weight. Most were about 38 mm diameter and a weight of 2.8 grams.

40mm is helpful as it is roughly the same size as a standard poker chip (39mm by just over 3 mm height) as well as an American Eagle Silver Dollar (40.6 mm by 3mm and 31 grams.)

Poker and American Eagle Silver Dollar storage and carrying solutions are a great starting place.

Storage and carrying should be two different solutions once you have more than a couple hundred tokens (possibly sooner.) There are tokens you likely won't bring to cons or travel with - for those think storage.
Storage
Plastic 40 slot cases -
There are tokens you likely won't bring to cons or travel with - for those, the plastic 40 slot carrying cases are I probably have 40-50 of those. I store completion tokens, monster bits, consumables, and trade goods in those. They have removable inserts but I generally just leave them all filled in. About 10 tokens fit per slot.
www.containerstore.com/s/craft-hobby/40-compartment-box-with-dividers/1d?productId=10029796
(Trent sells these as well for a good price - they frequently run out at container store so his is always a good resource.)

Binders -
The OPTIMA binders work well for storing collections or for small collections for transport. They fit 15 tokens per page with 8-10 pages per binder. These are good for storing tokens that you are just collecting (like a collection of all 2014 tokens, etc.) It is important to keep the middle insert for each row of tokens and put it back in with the tokens - that helps to keep them a tight fit and not just slide out.
www.lighthouse.us/collect-stamps/album-systems-stock-sheets/optima/
Trent as these as well and sometimes at better pricing than Lighthouse.

Pre-transmute piles
We all end up with stacks of tokens that are destined to be mulched. In the past, I've tossed them into gallon zip lock bags by type (DS, PS, MS, etc.) but got to the point where separating them by rarity made transmutes easier. Small kid play buckets work well for these. I am trying out these now where I just toss them in and when a bucket gets full enough, I'll transmute that bunch.
www.amazon.com/ArtCreativity-Plastic-Assorted-Buckets-Practical/dp/B07F96LFGB/ref=sr_1_23?keywords=mini+plastic+buckets&qid=1637616404&sr=8-23

Travel cases
This has been the more difficult solution over the years.
I don't recommend the aluminum carrying cases that you'll find at lighthouse, etc.. The handles and hinges aren't terribly strong and will break over time. Having your case crash to the ground emptying its contents everywhere at the airport isn't fun.

Similarly, having a case where the tokens move around a lot means digging quite a bit to find specific ones. You want something that holds them tightly in place. Lastly, binders without sleeves to put the binders into risks flinging tokens about.

Binders
The OPTIMA Binders are really good for around 120-150 tokens depending on which binder you get (8 to 10 pages at 15 tokens per page.) This allows for a build or two for most players. The pages are held via 3 ring binder and are tight fits holding them reasonably well in place. The binders are then inserted into binder sleeves for addition protection. Trent and Kirk have these in stock and you can find them elsewhere but their prices are generally the best you'll find for these.
www.trenttokens.com/collections/trent-tokens-binders/products/token-binder-optima-ringbinder-classic
www.tdtavern.com/accessories/

As your collection you want to bring gets bigger, you start looking at either multiple binders in a backpack or rolling suitcase or a bigger and tougher case. In any respect, you will want something to put the tokens into first before putting them into your bigger carrying case. I found coin trays for old silver dollars to be ideal.

Coin Trays
American Eagle Dollar coin trays snugly fit tokens and you can just stack trays on top of each other if you have something to carry them with. Lighthouse, etc make aluminum cases just for these but the weight of tokens tends to destroy those cases pretty quickly while travelling (for home storage, those cases are great.)
The trays are 35 slots per page at 39 mm each. Quite a few players use these because it is a pretty easy solution.
www.lighthouse.us/coin-trays-l.html (2 trays per order - they aren't cheap - maybe someone has a less expensive source to buy these.)

Tough Carrying Cases
The hard part was finding a carrying case tough enough to handle token weight. Pelican makes cases for cameras, travel, etc that are as close to indestructible as you will find (not kidding - if you are near your case and it gets destroyed, you almost certainly didn't survive whatever killed it.) They are the standard for adventure photographers and the like.

I use a Pelican 1450 for my tokens at conventions. They come with foam inserts that you can cut to whatever uses you need. In my case, I cut out the size of the trays - left the top and bottom foam inserts then cut out slots for consumable bottles. It fits 10-12 trays of tokens plus another 50-100 tokens in consumables bottles. It is lockable and meets TSA requirements for size and access.
-The downside to this case is this many tokens is HEAVY. Filled, it is 35 tokens per tray plus some bottles so around 450 tokens (see prior math making that 5 kg/11 pounds plus another 5 pounds for the case itself.) Pelican has smaller cases and I'm actively working to cut how much I bring to a convention so I could use one of them.
www.pelican.com/us/en/product/cases/protector/1450?sku=1450-000-240
Generally, TD doesn't like you bringing in roller bags into dungeons so you might want to avoid that.

Consumables transport
You want your consumables readily available during a run if you use them. The cases aren't great solutions for that. Trent's token bottles are a really good solution. I have also used 40 mm rigid plastic bottles with screw on tops to hold around 20 tokens each. Whitman coin wallets also work really well.
www.trenttokens.com/collections/token-potion-bottles
www.tdtavern.com/accessories/

Custom cases
There are a handful of people selling custom cases for token storage and transport. These tend to have slots exactly fitting current tokens with some mechanism to keep them from falling out (covers, etc..)
Rockwell cases are nice wooden cases
truedungeon.com/forum?view=topic&catid=5&id=248785

In the past, there was someone doing leather cases with plexiglass on the inside with slots (and covers) for tokens (I was lucky enough to buy one and would definitely buy more if these became available again.)

Odds and ends
There are small poker chip trays that, by pure coincidence, hold exactly 25 tokens. This is pretty useful for sorting transmutes
I'm not sure where I found mine but they are trays of 4 slots for chips that just happen to work out to about 75 mm length.

I hope some of these suggestions are helpful - please feel free to comment to add other discoveries you've made for storage or transport of your tokens!

Fred

Nice job Fred!

Great summary of lots of solutions. Thanks Fred.

I've tried poker chip tubes, bags (loose... Ugh), and a few coin collector options (books/binders). I like the collector options but they always felt finicky considering my builds are still in the growing stages and i have to swap stuff around often. And then comes trying to help my friends sort and manage (not many buy more than their event tickets or maybe 1 UR per year (same growing pains - Love the slow grow).And then comes the trying to do things in the dungeon itself (consumables without a mess...

So I started tinkering in 3D printing. They aren't as pretty as Rockwell's by FAR but they are good prototypes and are adaptable. Still a WIP and deciding what to do with them once I'm happy, but might make them available somehow.

Thanks for the plug Fred!

Fred K wrote: Binders
The OPTIMA Binders are really good for around 120-150 tokens depending on which binder you get (8 to 10 pages at 15 tokens per page.)

I also use 42mm Optima coin sheets but I put them in Case-It 3-Ring Zipper binders: currently a Classic D-251 2" (holding 14 pages and looks like it could take at least one more) to carry on runs, and a larger 3" for tokens that aren't in any of my active builds right now but might be plausible alternatives under certain circumstances. NB: Amazon prices for these binders seem to vary wildly by color for no apparent reason.

Another separate consideration is how to deal with tokens like Charm of Avarice that need to stay in their protective capsules: fancier solutions exist, but I just put one of the 62mm size Optima coin sheets in the same binder.

Slightly off topic, my CritSuccess Life Counter Ring (purchased several years ago in the GenCon exhibit hall) is easily the best $25 I've ever spent for upgrading my TD play experience -- so much faster than paper clips!

My son and I use magnetic wristbands to hold frequently needed tokens while in the dungeon.

I also picked up some large dicebags with belt loops and multiple internal pockets that I'm looking forward to trying out, but haven't been to an in-person con since I got them, so I can't say for sure how they'll hold up to dungeon use, but they hold all the tokens I want them to for a single run (I have other bags inside with my build in one, treasure tokens in another, consumables go in the side pockets, as do special use items like rope, mirrors, etc), so I'm hopeful

I use the token traveler bag and token trays that Trent sells on his site to carry my stuff to and from the convention, and to store it when not in use. It works great, I absolutely love it. To carry consumables through the dungeon I use one of the potion bottles Trent also sells. It holds plenty, keeps a few on the outside with magnets for quick access, and clips to my belt.

David Zych wrote:

Fred K wrote: Binders
The OPTIMA Binders are really good for around 120-150 tokens depending on which binder you get (8 to 10 pages at 15 tokens per page.)

I also use 42mm Optima coin sheets but I put them in Case-It 3-Ring Zipper binders: currently a Classic D-251 2" (holding 14 pages and looks like it could take at least one more) to carry on runs, and a larger 3" for tokens that aren't in any of my active builds right now but might be plausible alternatives under certain circumstances. NB: Amazon prices for these binders seem to vary wildly by color for no apparent reason.

Another separate consideration is how to deal with tokens like Charm of Avarice that need to stay in their protective capsules: fancier solutions exist, but I just put one of the 62mm size Optima coin sheets in the same binder.

Slightly off topic, my CritSuccess Life Counter Ring (purchased several years ago in the GenCon exhibit hall) is easily the best $25 I've ever spent for upgrading my TD play experience -- so much faster than paper clips!

RFID enabled tokens are a good point to bring up.

TD recommends that you keep them in their capsules to prevent damage (they are more fragile than normal tokens but not by a lot.) I found having my TEs in a binder sheet that is sealed closed and kept inside my Pelican case is more than enough protection. That allows me to pull them out, they can still be read via a bar code scanner and they can easily be tucked away safe from harm. I do this with the COAs as well as the Ioun Stone TEs for ease (just showing treasure enhancers once.) I did the same with group buffs like the CoASs.

RFID chips are pretty durable but storing an RFID chip token next to a magnet for a long period of time isn't a good idea as it might scramble the RFID. The strength of magnets in some token holders are still pretty light so it isn't 100% clear if those would kill your COA or Dragon Orb, etc.. Probably best to make sure to have some distance between those.

The magnetic armbands are great for swapping out weapons and consumables. Don't wear one next to an apple-watch however - it turns out they don't get along terribly well

Fred

Since topic of binders got brought up, I purchased a zippered 3 ring binder with strap off Amazon for GHC. Concept worked well but i need to find one a little slimmer with a better shoulder strap. I like to keep my hands free in the dungeon while carrying build.