Compliment Coins
June 9, 2026
Communication can be a lot more challenging than it seems. It can be hard to find the right words, or the timing isn’t opportune. But, as the collector community will tell you, there’s nothing more important than connecting with each other, and coins are a proven way to bring people together. Vermont resident Kristin McCole recognizes this and uses coins to unite people in an unorthodox way.
McCole engraves and paints Compliment Coins, tiny wooden tokens with a whimsical doodle on one side and encouraging words, such as “You’re embracing uncertainty. Yay!” or “I like you better than cheese,” on the other. The artist, who spent years working in nonprofits and has no background in art or business, found her spark of inspiration watching a mom with fussy kids at an airport in 2017.
From The Reading Room