07/23/2023 – Deacon Smith

What are BIP Coins and BIP Keys?  It is a question I get a lot.  Let me explain.

We began the Seed Stacks project because we liked Blockmit’s original washer die idea.  I suggest checking it out.  We wanted to build on their idea because it turns out, putting your seed words on washers is actually a pretty good idea for several reasons.

  1.  The M8 X 24 washers are very common and can often times be found locally in all parts of the world.
  2. The stainless steel M8 X 24 washers are tremendously strong and durable.  Both Copper and Stainless Steel.  Stainless more so.
  3. They are small and can be bound together is various ways. including a key ring and a bolt.
  4. Making a die with a 3D printer is also possible for many people.

With the washers being locally available for many and certainly available for most everyone because they are standard size washers and the die being able to be 3D printed, using Seed Stacks is actually a very efficient, novel and secure way of securing your Bitcoin Seed.

We should also discuss terminology.  

Keeping them on paper is the first step but you should keep your Seed Words on something or in something that cannot be destroyed easily.  This is where Seed Stacks come in.  

Seed Stacks are stacks of BIP Keys.  BIP Keys are M8 X 24 washers with your BIP Word and Key marked on them.  BIP Keys are BIP Coins without the Key marked into it.

 

While working on our Seed Stacks project we realized that there would be a market for already marked 

 

 

Blank

BIPCoin BIP Key

The washer or blank, is an M8 X 24mm stainless steel washer.  But you can theoretically use any M8 X 24 washer you believe is durable enough for your application.

BIP Coin

BIP Coin Satoshi Coin

The BIP Coin is the M8 X 24mm Blank with a BIP 39 Seed Word marked into it.  

There is a decent amount of work required to marking a washer with a punch.  Buying and selling already marked BIP Coins is theoretically possible. 

BIP Key

BIP Key - SATOSHI BIP Coin - seed Stacks

The BIP Key is the washer with a BIP 39 word marked into it as well as the Key.

Once a wallet is no  longer used the collection of BIP Keys for that wallet become useless.  What do you do with your washers?  You could throw them in a tool box or in the junk drawer.  That’s what most of them will be use for most likely.  However, these washers will last for a very, very long time in the wild.  Hundreds or thousands of years.  Likely longer than that even.  

As time progresses, BIP Keys, with the word and key on it, can also be exchanged or sold.  Because it is the order of the words that is necessary to open the lock.  One key to a lock that requires 11 or 23 other keys open the lock is for all intents and purposes, meaningless.  

So, in our view, there would be a market for both BIP Coins and BIP Keys.  At least in theory.  There is certainly a market for BIP Coins because the amount of work it takes to mark stainless steel washers means many people will seek help from others.  And marking and selling BIP words already on washers is totally safe.  Although, I would not purchase all of your BIP Coins from the same vendor.  Although, even if you did, the chances of them getting your funds is highly unlikely.  But, it is recommended not buying all of your BIP Words from the same vendor.

We see it as more of a novelty or a jewelry hunt.  Hunting for them at flea markets or jewelers fairs,  Jewelers and locksmiths could even offer services of marking BIP Coins or even BIP Keys on demand.  But again, you would not have one person mark ALL of your keys for any wallet.