Donkey Kong (Series)

The Donkey Kong franchise has featured various coin collectibles in many games. These coins are usually given as a reward for exploration and for completing bonus games. This page lists them all in chronological order of appearance.

Kong Tokens
Kong Tokens are the first coins to appear as special collectibles in the Donkey Kong series. Donkey Kong Land would mark their first and only appearance in the franchise. The coins themselves are quite large, with their sprites being nearly the same size as the Kongs themselves. They spin rapidly, showing the faces of both Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong on each side. Much like other coins that would appear later on in the series, Kong Tokens are scattered throughout every level, and can either be found out in the open or in hidden areas. Unlike future coins however, they are used for bonus challenges, rather than being given as an award. In them, a "Button Barrel" moves quickly from side to side, and Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong can jump on the corresponding button to release the Kong Tokens individually. They are awarded an extra life for each Kong Token that they collect in these minigames.The Kongs must repeatedly jump on the button until all of their Kong Tokens are released.

The number of Kong Tokens collected in the game are not saved like in future games. This means that if the player were to quit out of the game, the number of coins would reset back to zero.

Banana Coins
Banana Coins, also known as Banana Bunch Coins (or Banana Bunch Koins) are the first and most commonly available form of currency to be featured in the Donkey Kong franchise. First appearing in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Banana Coins and their variants have been featured as valuable collectibles in many Donkey Kong games since.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest / Donkey Kong Land 2
Much like Kong Tokens in Donkey Kong Land, Banana Coins (referred to as Banana Bunch Coins) are scattered throughout every level of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Land 2. Diddy and Dixie Kong use the coins as currency to pay for services provided for by members of the Kong Family. Use of Funky Kong's Biplane Barrel at Funky's Flights II, obtaining advice from Cranky Kong at Monkey Museum, saving the game and receiving advice from Wrinkly Kong at Kong Kollege, and playing Swanky Kong's quizzes at Swanky's Bonus Bonanza can all be paid with the use of Banana Bunch Coins. The Kongs can carry up to 99 Banana Bunch Coins at a time.

In the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, the Kongs can get into a rematch with a boss by paying ten Banana Bunch Coins to Swanky.

Donkey Kong 64
Banana Bunch Coins return as one of the many collectibles available in Donkey Kong 64, this time being used to purchase weapons from Funky Kong, moves and abilities from Cranky Kong, and musical instruments from Candy Kong. Much like before, they are scattered throughout every level. This time however, they come in different colors that correspond to each playable Kong. Yellow, red, blue, purple, and green coins are all available for Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Lanky Kong, Tiny Kong, and Chunky Kong respectively. The maximum amount of coins for each Kong varies.

In least to greatest, the maximum amount of Banana Coins each Kong can collect goes as follows: Donkey Kong: 179, Diddy Kong: 183, Lanky Kong: 190, Tiny Kong: 198, Chunky Kong: 224.

Every Kong spends 21 Banana Coins on personal upgrades, Donkey Kong spends an extra 2 to replay the Donkey Kong arcade game, and a total of 53 are used for shared upgrades. There are 974 Banana Bunch Coins in total. After all coins possible are spent, the Kongs will have a remaining 814 Banana Coins among themselves if all coins are collected. The Mystery mode has an unlockable cheat allowing the player to have 999 Banana Bunch Coins; this cheat can be unlocked by collecting twenty Banana Fairies.

5-Banana Coins
Donkey Kong 64 also introduces a special type of Banana Coin alongside the previously mentioned kinds. 5-Banana Coins are multi-colored coins that can be found underneath DK Dirt Piles. They are different from normal Banana Coins in that they are able to be collected by every Kong, are larger in size, and add five Banana Coins to each Kong's total.

There is at least one 5-Banana Coin hidden in every world in the game

Donkey Kong Country (Gameboy Color)
Banana Bunch Coins appear in the Gameboy Color port of Donkey Kong Country as the reward for Candy's Challenges.

There are six in total, and they can be viewed in the items menu after they're collected. They do not act as currency like the previous iterations of Banana Coins, and are only counted for 100% completion.

DK Jungle Climber
DK Jungle Climber is the first game to refer to the coins as "Banana Coins". Despite the change in name, the coins still feature the Banana Bunches seen in previous games.

Five are found throughout each level. Banana Coins can be used to buy extra levels after completing the game.

Super Smash Brothers Brawl
Banana Coins appear in Super Smash Brothers Brawl as a sticker. In the Subspace Emissary, it increases the strength of the user's leg attacks by four

Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Banana Coins in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D have been redesigned to depict a single banana rather than a banana bunch. The coins act much like they do in previous games, being used to pay for various items from Cranky Kong. They are scattered throughout every level, but can now also be collected via jumping on three to seven enemies in succession or as a prize from the Slot Machine Barrel at the end of every level. The player can collect up to 999 Banana Coins.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Banana Coins appear once again in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its Nintendo Switch port. Like in the preceding game, Banana Coins are used to buy items, this time from Funky Kong. Banana Coins have received a slight change in appearance, being recolored from a basic yellow to a sparkling gold. Like before, the Kongs are able to collect up to 999 Banana Coins.

DK Coins
DK Coins (originally known as Cranky's Video Game Hero Coins, Cranky Kong's DK Coins, DK Hero coins, or simply Hero Coins.) are large, generally well hidden coins that were first introduced in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. They are usually used solely for a total completion.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest / Donkey Kong Land 2
DK Coins appear in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Land 2 as collectibles that are hidden in every level. In universe, it is explained that Cranky Kong hid the coins for Diddy and Dixie to find. There are 40 coins in total, and they are hidden in secret areas, a prize at the end of certain levels, and as a reward for completing bonus games in the hidden Lost World. The final boss will also give Diddy and Dixie a DK Coin when they are defeated. The coin will appear next to the name of the level on the map screen if it's collected in that level. At the end of the game, Cranky will tally the number of coins collected and rank Diddy and Dixie based on how many they obtained throughout the game. Similarly, Donkey Kong Land 2 also features 40 DK Coins with one hidden throughout every level and one given after beating the final boss.

The Gameboy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest adds 28 more DK Coins, making for a new total of 68 DK Coins to collect. 39 of the original 40 coins are in the same locations as before, with the only exception being the DK Coin given after defeating the final boss. Beating the boss no longer gives a free DK Coin. The new DK Coins are rewarded through beating all the missions at Funky's Flights II, getting first place in all the Expresso Racing levels, and filling out the scrapbook Wrinkly Kong gives to Diddy and Dixie.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
DK Coins reappear in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! as items that contribute to full completion. Much like in its predecessor, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! features DK Coins in every level of the game, with 41 in total. When a DK Coin is collected, a yellow pennant will appear above the level flag.

Notably, enemies known as Koins hold all except for one of the DK Coins in the game. They are impenetrable to any attacks from the front or from above. In order to obtain the DK Coin, Dixie and Kiddy need to throw an iron keg over the Koin before it rebounds against a wall and hits the Koin.

Once all the DK Coins are collected, they can trade them with Funky Kong in exchange for the Gyrocopter, which will allow them to fly around the Northern Kremisphere. The last three secret caves are only accessible through the Gyrocopter, making them necessary for file completion.

In the Gameboy Advance Remake, five new DK Coins are available in the new world added to the game, adding up to a new total of 46 DK Coins.

Donkey Kong Land III
Donkey Kong Land III sports a total of 42 DK Coins. Koins from the game's console counterpart return and act the same as they do in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Since Koins do not appear in the underwater levels, the DK Coins are freely available to collect. Additionally, 6 of the 42 DK Coins are obtained by playing the memory game at every world's Sheepy Shop. A certain amount of Bonus Coins are needed to play the memory games at these shops. DK Coins are used to enter the Lost World after initially beating the game. If all the DK Coins and Watches are collected, Dixie and Kiddie are able to have a final showdown with Baron K. Roolenstein.

Donkey Kong 64
DK Coins appear as collectibles in two of the Training Barrel challenges, certain minigames, all three Mine Cart Rides, and the two races against the Mini-Car, Beetle, and Seal. Unlike in previous games, they are not items that appear throughout gameplay, only appearing in these instances. Either a certain number of them must be collected before time runs out or a certain number must be collected before reaching the goal. A Golden Banana will be rewarded for each challenge that's completed. They have a different appearance than previous Donkey Kong games, instead having a Red DK logo and being entirely solid.

DK Jungle Climber
DK Coins appear in every level of DK Jungle Climber. One in each level, these coins are used to unlock certain cheats. They deviate from the design in Donkey Kong 64 and instead go back to their familiar appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Kremkoins
Kremkoins are large golden coins rewarded for completing bonus areas in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Land 2. Kremkoins are required for file completion, and are used by Diddy and Dixie to bribe Klubba into entering the Lost World. Bonus Barrels are common in both games, with about two to three being accessible in most levels. They are also given for beating a boss for the first time. King K. Rool (disguised as Kaptain K. Rool), is featured prominently on both sides of the coin.

As mentioned before, two to three Kremkoins are usually available in every level. When obtained, a counter briefly appears and increases by one. If Diddy and Dixie go back to a Bonus Area, the Kremkoin will appear with a large white checkmark on both sides, and will not count towards the counter. There are 75 Kremkoins in total. 15 must be spent each time Diddy and Dixie pay Klubba. Once Klubba is paid, Diddy and Dixie are able to access the Lost World from that specific kiosk at any time. Kremkoins do not appear in the Lost World, and are instead replaced by DK Coins.

Donkey Kong Land 2 only has 47 Kremkoins to collect. Rather than paying Klubba multiple times, the Kongs make only one payment of 47 Kremkoins to Klubba in order to gain access to the Lost World.

Bonus Coins
Bonus Coins are golden coins that appear in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Triple Trouble! and Donkey Kong Land III. They have a similar purpose as Kremkoins from the previous game, and are collected through the same methods. Bonus Coins have a large "B" in front of a star-like shape. This symbol is also featured on the corresponding Bonus Barrels. Bonus Coins can be obtained by completing a bonus game, with two to three to collect in each level. Once collected, Dixie and Kiddy are unable to collect the coin again, as it will have a white checkmark through it.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! there are a total of 85 Bonus Coins. Much like Kremkoins, they contribute to gaining access to a hidden world at the end of the game. Boulders obstruct the entrances to each level of the world, and they can only be destroyed by paying Boomer, one of the shopkeepers the Kongs can interact with, 15 Bonus Coins for every level. Boomer will ask for a higher fee of 25 Bonus Coins to enter the final level.

The Gameboy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! adds 13 more Bonus Coins, numbering to a complete total of 98 Bonus Coins. Coins were added to the extra world added to the game as well as a new boss fight. As a result, Boomer will now ask for 18 Bonus Coins for access to each of the final world's levels and 26 to enter the last level.

Donkey Kong Land III
78 Bonus Coins are available to collect in Donkey Kong Land III. Rather than acting as a way to gain access to the final world of the game, Bonus Coins are used to play the memory game at the Sheepy Shops. The fee for playing varies in each world. Whether due to a developer oversight or from convenience, Bonus Coins are not depleted from the player's total. Collecting every Bonus Coin in the game awards the player with a Time Attack mode.

Bear Coins
Bear Coins are silver coins that appear in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! and Donkey Kong Land III. They feature a bear's head on both sides. They act as the main form of currency throughout the Northern Kremisphere. Bear Coins are plentiful throughout both games, being hidden in most levels. They are awarded alongside Bonus Coins in the bonus games. Unlike Bonus Coins, they can be picked up even if they were already collected. Losing a life will not deplete the number of Bear Coins collected. They are used similarly to how Banana Coins were used in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Land 2, but did not return for any future entries.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
Bear Coins are used to buy items from the Brothers Bear as well as for competing in the minigames at Swanky's Sideshow. In the Gameboy Advance remake, Bear Coins can be used for competing in the Funky, Cranky, and Swanky minigame challenges.

Donkey Kong Land III
Bear Coins differ slightly in Donkey Kong Land III, instead being used to pay for Bear's services at the Sheepy Shop. They also provide an alternative form of payment towards playing the memory game.

Silver Coins
Silver Coins are coins that appear in the Silver Coin Challenges in Diddy Kong Racing and Diddy Kong Racing DS.

Diddy Kong Racing
The original Nintendo 64 release features Silver Coin Challenges for every course in the game. The player must collect all of the coins on the course and finish in first place in order to complete the challenge. Many of the coins are well-hidden and located off-track. After completing a challenge, the player will receive a Golden Balloon. The coin is similar to the Nintendo Coin in that it features the Nintendo 64 logo.

Diddy Kong Racing DS
In Diddy Kong Racing DS, the Silver Coin Challenges are exclusive to the single race mode. They are replaced by Balloon Touch Challenges in Adventure Mode. Silver Coins are now able to be purchased from Taj's wish menu. Each Silver Coin Challenge is unlocked by completing the respective course's Balloon Touch Challenge. Additionally, the Nintendo 64 logo that originally appeared on the coin has been removed, and now features no insignia on either side.

Nintendo Coin
The Nintendo Coin is a special coin in Donkey Kong 64. The coin is silver and features the Nintendo 64 logo on both sides. This coin, along with its Rareware counterpart, are required to obtain the final Boss Key.

In order to earn the coin, Donkey Kong must clear the original Donkey Kong arcade game in Frantic Factory. Completing the Donkey Kong arcade game for the first time initially gives the player a Golden Banana. However, after talking to Squawks the Parrot, the player is able to play the game again for the Nintendo Coin (with a one-time fee of two Banana Bunch Coins). The second playthrough is more difficult than the first, as the player is given only one life to complete the second level. The coin will also replace Pauline at the top of the stage. The player is able to play the arcade game as many times as they want after they pay the fee.

Rareware Coin
The Rareware Coin is a special coin in Donkey Kong 64. The coin is silver and features the Rareware logo on both sides. This coin, along with its Nintendo counterpart, are required to obtain the final Boss Key.

In order to obtain the coin, the player must earn at least 5,000 points in the Jetpac game located in Cranky's Lab. The coin will appear in the game itself once this is accomplished and it must be collected before the player gets a game over.

Coins (Diddy Kong Racing DS)
Coins are small light blue coins that only appear in Diddy Kong Racing DS. Similar to the Rareware Coin from Donkey Kong 64, they prominently feature the Rareware logo.

Coins serve as a replacement to the bananas from the original Nintendo 64 release. They appear in every course, and openly lie on the road. The player must drive through the coin in order to collect it. Coins serve as the only form of currency, and they can be used to buy new features on Taj's wish menu, vehicle upgrades, battle courses, and even new courses entirely.

Power-Up Token
Power-Up Tokens are coins that only appear in Diddy Kong Racing DS. Power-Up Tokens are small, white, and octagonal. The face of the token is surrounded by two blue borders, and sports a large yellow-orange arrow pointing upward.

Power-Up Tokens appear in hidden or hard-to-reach areas within every course. Once collected, the coin will appear in the corner of the screen. With a tap of the X Button, the Power-Up Token will upgrade the weapon the player is holding. Doing this makes the item into a special item. The upgrade will vary based on the type of Weapon Balloon the player touched previously.

Taj Tokens
Taj Tokens are tokens that only appear in Diddy Kong Racing DS. They are large tokens that feature the face of Taj The Genie in front of a red background that is surrounded by a yellow border.

Like Coins, they replace bananas from the original Nintendo 64 release. They can be found in Smokey Castle where the player must collect a certain amount of them. They also appear in Taj's challenges as collectibles that must be collected for certain missions.

Trivia

 * Due to their rarity of Banana Coins (in comparison to the numerous, basic banana collectibles found throughout the games), it can be assumed that the coins hold more value than bananas.
 * This is likely because coins are a type of currency used to buy items. It can be assumed that they are also used by Donkey Kong to purchase bananas.
 * Despite their rarity, they are less rare than the K-O-N-G Letters, implying that the K-O-N-G Letters are more valuable. Why the K-O-N-G Letters hold such a large amount of value is, presently, unknown.
 * To this day, it is unknown where, when or how the various coins found in Donkey Kong games are created. There have been no observable mints within the DK jungle so far.
 * It's very possible that the coins come from foreign lands.