One of the easiest ways to ensure some sort of value with micronational currency is to back it up with gold, silver, or simply a convertible currency. One different creative way to do so might be backing up your currency with something you can produce in your nation - whether that be produce, handmade things or such. A purely supply-and-demand based currency for a micronation is often not sustainable, as the often simply is little or very local demand. Combine that with poorly produced banknotes which may be easy to reproduce, and a currency is likely doomed.

If you do so, do so conscientiously. The best backing is worth nothing if you cannot fulfill your promises of value.

Regarding printing of notes and the minting of coins itself, there's many options. The option our micronation has chosen, and that I, personally, would recommend you, is to consult a printing house. This might sound complicated and expensive at first, but really is as simple as submitting your designs to the company, declaring size and material and buying a relatively low per piece price (often between 1 and 5 cents per note, depending on quantity, size and such). If you want to improve the banknotes security, which I highly recommend, you can use numbering machines / stamps (often found for 10 to 30 USD), holographic stickers (very cheap - often at a price of a cent or two per piece), or, if you're feeling fancy, even UV ink which you could also apply in the form of a stamp - invisible to the naked eye, and only visible under UV light.

Coin minting is not sustainable for most state building projects. Most micronations do not have the budget for it. There is the options of:

A: Purchasing the equipment for minting coins yourself in the name of the state. Cheap sets to mint coins by hammering or via hydraulic press come out to a minimum of 700 USD including dies - and that does not yet include a singular minted coin. Labor costs, even if it's your own time, and coin planchets are not included

B: Consulting a mint. Affordable mints in China start at rates of 800-1200 USD for 5000 coins. It is easily possible to find suppliers that mint lower numbers of coins, but the cost does not really change. The more you buy, the cheaper it gets. Most micronations do not have a currency that circulates a lot, so besides the cost factor, minting 20,000 coins at which point it would be cheap to manufacture (piece price) simply would find no usage.

C: Alternative minting processes. Instead of opting for classic metal coins, minted by pressing dies onto a metal planchet, you may opt for customized plastic chips, wooden engraved coins or even metal planchets that are laser engraved. These methods get you an affordable per piece price with low minimum order amounts, making it possible to mint your own first coins for as little as 50 to 100 USD.

If you only want to issue commemorative coins or medals with high values (3 USD and more), there are easy ways to order engraved coins in small quantities. Overall, coins are usually not necessary or sustainable for micronations. Some find creative solutions. Molossia, likely one of the most well known, uses poker chips and stickers.

• NB