More about Iotains / Iota Coins and how it works

I am sure it won't take long until the QR code in this photo is stolen, so I will go ahead and remove any iota associated with it.

Update: November 6, 2018 - This is a new product, but we will keep the name the same. I developed 2 new models of the Iotains, Iota coins, but feel the last version has the most potential for success. The first one is a coin that is printed with the QR code, similar to the other coins, but it is attached as a circular piece of metal and therefore hides the QR code and Seed on the inside wall. Once it is separated from the coin you would have the private seed. Not much to report there, but it was kinda cool as the inside code was protected and sealed.

The second item is a one inch button. The outside image can be a photographic image or printed logo and the inside back panel shows the public code for loading funds. To get to the private seed you tear apart the top layer and the private seed for that coin is exposed and available for use. I plan to load each of these buttons with a single Iota, which is currently valued around $0.50. The buttons may sell from $2-5, depending on how much work it requires and over time may be worth more than the cost of the button, but can be enjoyed as a decorative accessory until then.

Update: October 30, 2018 - After five months of value decline in Iota and accordingly not much of an acceptance of cryptocurrencies by the general population, I still see an opportunity to implement "crypto-coins" as a physical tool. In fact, because of the value decline there are now five or six popular tokens that are under a dollar, Iota, Ripple, Stellar, Cardano and of course Tron. Because Iota is still a fee-less interface it is still the only self-contained token I can use without additional expense beyond my time. The methods I am using are going to be of the simplest form, just printing and applying layers to currently existing coins, so that the coin itself will always have some value. The underlying issue of trust for handling these "crypto-coins" is resolved in that the value of the coins themselves are so little that these can be treated as novelties and not worthy of fraud.

Update: May 24, 2018 - The simplest and safest use of these Iotains is to send us your public code, for your own Iota Seed, and we will custom make some coins with that address on the back of the coin. On the front will be the Iota logo and you will be able to distribute these coins so others can send Iotas easily to your account.

Iotains are a combination of printed QR codes and metal coated labels die cut and placed on real United States coins for the purpose of making hard copy iota objects that can be given away for fun and promotion. The feature with iotains as an object is that with our printing technologies the coins can be made individually for each coin to work as an independent vehicle of value, separate from a person's wallet. This is similar to real-world currency in that respect. Most importantly as iota is capable of handling micro-transactions, this coin can be made inexpensively compared to casted coins and the other non-functioning display pieces commonly for sale as "coins". As an object the iotain can have value added to the paper wallet as iota value through the public QR code that is printed on a durable glossy finish and applied to the back of a coin. This can be done without interference or reference to the seed which is printed behind a thin protective vinyl label with an iota logo on the front of the coin.

The iota seed is printed on the same durable material and hidden for protection behind the iota logo. The iota logo is printed on a thin vinyl with a rust or metal coated finish to add a sense of relief and originality to the coins. Once the top layer is removed the seed is displayed and can be accessed via the QR code.

At any point the labels can be removed and you still have a coin of some denomination that can be used as a regular US coin. Available in Nickel, Quarter, US Dollar and Half-Dollar coins with their respective value applied by default. Any reasonable value can be applied by request or by adding iota to the public key. More information and the back story and further descriptions of Iotains, an iota coin are available at iotain.com.

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