Crash Course coin: collectible coins sold to fund Crash Course (2021)
project history · status: completed · last event: milestone (2026-05-29)
The Crash Course coin is a collectible coin, minted in Arkansas from hand-engraved dies, sold for a short window each year since 2021, each coin sponsoring thousands of Crash Course learners. It has returned every year, with its funds paying for new series and a podcast, and by its sixth year in 2026 it could be part of a tax-deductible donation.
Part of: Crash Course: launch of the brothers' educational channel (2011)
Parts: Hank asks viewers to buy a Crash Course coin to fund Crash Course (2021) · Hank: the $500 Crash Course coins will probably be sold out by the time this video goes up (2021)
Told alongside: John asks viewers who value and can afford it to support Crash Course and SciShow on Patreon (2015) · Hank asks viewers to donate to Complexly's Learnathon (2024) · Hank asks viewers to fund Crash Course through Subbable (2013) · Subbable: launch of the brothers' pay-what-you-want subscription service, starting with Crash Course (2013) · Complexly: the brothers' production company, renamed from EcoGeek (2016)
About: Crash Course coin, Crash Course
| date | event | what | video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-06-15 | launched | Hank says they launched a new project the day before: the Crash Course coins. | VLOGBROTHERS REUNITED!!!! 00:01:45 |
| 2021-06-25 | milestone | Hank says today is the last day of the Crash Course coin: a $100 and a $500 coin, each a piece of the budget to reach 2,000 or 10,000 students. | The Surprising Origin of Crash Course 00:02:54 |
| 2021-06-25 | announced | Hank says the coin has been so successful that there will be a different 2022 coin next year (2022), but today is the last day for the 2021 coins. | The Surprising Origin of Crash Course 00:03:09 |
| 2021-09-03 | milestone | In the evenings Hank assembles Crash Course coins himself, as a way to thank the people who supported Crash Course through them, though it takes longer. | What the Heck am I doing? 00:00:47 |
| 2022-04-22 | looked back | Hank shows prototype Crash Course coins with different looks, made while planning the first coin and for future ones; he loves them because the coins and their buyers keep Crash Course going. | My Life is on My Walls 00:02:47 |
| 2022-05-31 | milestone | The 2022 Crash Course coin is on sale for two weeks: a $100 coin sponsors 2,000 learners and a $500 coin 10,000; its design draws on the Lascaux cave paintings. Coin funding helped launch three series last year (2021). | A Casting Announcement 00:03:07 |
| 2022-06-10 | milestone | Hank says the coin is minted in Arkansas from hand-engraved dies, and the 10,000-learner coins have sold out. | My Embarrassing Dermatology Story 00:02:55 |
| 2023-05-05 | milestone | On a set of shelves where everything is something he loves, Hank shows the prototype of this year's (2023) Crash Course coin, showing only its front because the rest is secret. | New Office Tour!! 00:02:23 |
| 2023-05-30 | milestone | John announces the 2023 Crash Course coins, on sale for 11 days and minted in Arkansas from hand-engraved dies, with an engraving inspired by a JWST photograph. | How Does He Do It? 00:01:58 |
| 2024-05-28 | milestone | John announces the Crash Course coin, on sale from today for one week only at CrashCourseCoin.com; buyers sponsor 2,000, 5,000 or 10,000 Crash Course learners and help keep it free. | A Midlife Crisis 00:04:02 |
| 2024-05-31 | milestone | Hank lists the coins, expensive by design: a copper 2,000-learner coin for $100, a bimetallic 10,000-learner coin for $500, and a $1,000 laser-anodized titanium coin reaching 20,000 learners. | The People I Hate Most in the World 00:03:24 |
| 2024-06-04 | outcome | John says the podcast was made with funds from last year's (2023) Crash Course Coin. | how it all ends 00:04:52 |
| 2024-06-07 | milestone | Hank says today is the very last day for this year's (2024) Crash Course coin, whose reverse features a fig; the coins will never be available again. | Eating an 11,000 Year Old Fruit 00:04:01 |
| 2025-05-23 | milestone | Hank says the coins are minted from hand-engraved dies at a mint in Arkansas, in four versions by ability to give, each representing thousands of learners reached. | I Can’t Believe How Few People it Takes. 00:04:52 |
| 2025-05-30 | milestone | Hank says this is the last chance to get a Crash Course coin and asks viewers who have $100 to spare and think Crash Course could do good with it to go to CrashCourseCoin.com. | My Rare 'Disorder' 00:00:29 |
| 2026-02-04 | looked back | Hank thanks viewers who for years knowingly gave a for-profit company money with no tax deduction, through Patreon, the Crash Course Coin, the Learnathon and SciShow fundraisers. | We Just Sold Our Company for $0 00:06:23 |
| 2026-05-22 | milestone | Hank says that in its sixth year the coin can be part of a tax-deductible donation with no sales tax; the campaign is in its fifth day with about a week left. | Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit 00:05:30 |
| 2026-05-26 | milestone | John says viewers who want to support Complexly can get a Crash Course coin for the next few days at CrashCourseCoin.com, supporting a charity. | Hank Green Is a Fool 00:06:05 |
| 2026-05-29 | milestone | Hank says now is the last chance to get a 2026 Crash Course coin, helping people make educational video; the sale ends sometime this weekend, before the next Vlogbrothers video. | Chemo Cow Body Odor YouTube Helen Hunt Commute 00:06:04 |
What is said about it
35 statements, by date (the events above are the turns of the thread; these are the details).
- 2021-06-15 · VLOGBROTHERS REUNITED!!!! — ask: The description asks viewers to support Crash Course with the Crash Course coin. — video description
- 2021-06-15 · VLOGBROTHERS REUNITED!!!! — announcement: Hank says a $100 coin lets them reach 2,000 learners and a $500 coin 10,000 learners, with only 500 of the latter being made. — 00:02:27
- 2021-06-25 · The Surprising Origin of Crash Course — The description says that while most viewers can't get a coin, the few who can make the resource available to all, outside a system designed to capture value rather than lower barriers. — video description
- 2021-06-25 · The Surprising Origin of Crash Course — In a comment Hank names the Arkansas mint as Shire Post Mint, lovely to work with. — creator comment
- 2021-06-25 · The Surprising Origin of Crash Course — announcement: Hank says each coin is minted at a small family-owned mint in Arkansas from hand-etched dies. — 00:03:09
- 2021-06-25 · The Surprising Origin of Crash Course — Hank shows the first coin minted, numbered 001, going to the first buyer of a $500 coin: their mom; he meant to fake cry and started to really cry. — 00:03:09
- 2022-03-25 · US College Students Need Help — The description thanks everyone who has helped Crash Course through the Coin, Patreon, or watching and sharing. — video description
- 2022-06-10 · My Embarrassing Dermatology Story — announcement: Hank says the 2022 200-learner coins remain available through this weekend and then never again. — 00:03:24
- 2022-09-02 · How A YouTube Company Actually Makes Money — Hank: Just under 20% of revenue is crowdfunding through Patreons or the Crash Course Coin, given because people know their work isn't sustainable under current internet business models. — 00:01:17
- 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — announcement: In a comment John says everyone who has been a patron for at least three years will get the patron coin. — creator comment
- 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — John says supporters keep Crash Course free for everyone forever, some through Patreon but many through the Crash Course Coin, which was Hank's idea. — 00:01:45
- 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — announcement: John: The coin's engraving was inspired by a JWST photograph showing a patch of sky the size of a grain of sand at arm's length, vast and teeming with galaxies. — 00:02:15
- 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — John: For John the coin image represents how learning illuminates unseen parts of ourselves and the universe, and how building knowledge leads to more knowledge. — 00:02:32
- 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — announcement: John lists this year's (2023) four coins: one for three-year patrons, a $100 coin supporting 2,000 learners, a limited $500 coin supporting 10,000 and a more limited $1,000 coin supporting 20,000. — 00:03:07
- 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — announcement: John: Thanks to coin support, Crash Course this year (2023) launched courses in Black American History, Botany and Biology and Crash Course en Español, among many others. — 00:03:48
- 2023-06-02 (said on 2023-06-01, implied) · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — ask: The description reminds viewers to get a Crash Course Coin. — video description
- 2023-06-20 · Reflections from a Terrible CEO — John jokes that Hank kept working anyway: making ads for the Socks Club and Crash Course Coin, shooting SciShow, pitching business ideas daily and making Vlogbrothers videos while in pain. (playful) — 00:00:29
- 2024-04-12 · Feeling Like a Failure (During an Eclipse) — Hank says free educational resources on YouTube exist because everyone helps by buying Crash Course coins and supporting Crash Course on Patreon, as do internet stores that give all profit to charity. — 00:04:13
- 2024-05-31 · The People I Hate Most in the World — announcement: The description teases a video next week (week of 3 June 2024) explaining why this year's (2024) coin has a fig on it. — video description
- 2024-05-31 · The People I Hate Most in the World — ask: Hank invites viewers who think Crash Course's work by dozens of people is worth more than YouTube ads deliver, and who can help, to buy one of three coins. — 00:02:55
- 2024-05-31 · The People I Hate Most in the World — Hank says Crash Course spends around five cents for every learner it reaches, which is the currency of the coins. — 00:03:24
- 2024-05-31 · The People I Hate Most in the World — announcement: Hank says there is also a secret patron coin, available only to people reaching their three-year anniversary as Crash Course patrons. — 00:04:22
- 2024-05-31 · The People I Hate Most in the World — Hank is proud of the Crash Course team's work over the years, proud to have been part of it, and proud to support them, including by getting his own coin. — 00:04:22
- 2024-06-07 · Eating an 11,000 Year Old Fruit — announcement: Hank says this story is why a fig is featured on the reverse side of this year's (2024) Crash Course coin, which people have been asking him about. — 00:03:12
- 2024-11-03 · Hank's very messy post-cancer year of mistakes, meaning… — Hank: Complexly (SciShow, Crash Course and more) is the most impactful thing Hank has helped start; it could always use him, from promoting Study Hall and the Crash Course coin to SciShow thumbnails. — 00:07:34
- 2025-03-25 · Taylor, Dr Pepper, and My Anxiety Strats: It's Question Tuesday — John says Modern Health Crusader coins were minted by the US National Tuberculosis Association in the early twentieth century as a fundraiser against TB, like the Crash Course coin. — 00:02:26
- 2025-05-23 · I Can’t Believe How Few People it Takes. — Hank says a secret Crash Course coin goes only to people who helped make a Crash Course, and he won't show it. — 00:00:58
- 2025-05-23 · I Can’t Believe How Few People it Takes. — announcement: Hank adds that a small wall-hanging bank to hold and display coins is available this year (2025) for people with coins from several years. — 00:07:30
- 2026-05-22 · Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit — announcement: Hank says most of the $1,000 coins have sold out and fewer than 20 of the $5,000 coins are left. — 00:05:58
- 2026-05-26 · Hank Green Is a Fool — ask: The description asks viewers to get the Crash Course Coin to support Crash Course's efforts to make educational video free for everyone forever. — video description
- 2026-05-26 · Hank Green Is a Fool — John says Hank's line that Crash Course is no longer owned by the brothers led people, justifiably, to conclude they sold to a private equity firm, and they disliked coin money going to Rich Uncle Pennybags. — 00:00:38
- 2026-05-26 · Hank Green Is a Fool — John argues becoming a non-profit keeps Crash Course free forever, means the brothers never profit from crowdfunded growth, and makes coin buyers' and donors' money a tax-advantaged donation. — 00:03:16
- 2026-05-26 · Hank Green Is a Fool — John says saying so would have drawn fewer views and coin sales, which maybe shows a problem with an algorithmic internet that values only capturing and holding attention. (hedged) — 00:04:00
- 2026-05-26 · Hank Green Is a Fool — John says that although he doesn't work at Complexly, he got a Crash Course coin this year (2026). — 00:06:00
- 2026-05-29 · Chemo Cow Body Odor YouTube Helen Hunt Commute — announcement: Hank notes Complexly is now a non-profit, so donations are tax-deductible and the coins carry no sales tax. — 00:06:34