Leprechaun gold

Leprechaun gold is a fake type of gold created by Leprechauns, who have the ability to produce gold coins that look and feel authentic as regular coins which look like Galleons, certainly in the wizarding community. It has the quality of disappearing after a few hours; not many wizards and witches seem to be aware of this fact, as Ron Weasley (who is usually more aware of the magical world than his two best friends: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger) was unaware until Hagrid brought it up during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Although the coins seem identical to ordinary ones, goblin experts can differentiate them from ordinary coins, as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley overheard when they visited Gringotts Wizarding Bank in search of one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes in the Lestrange vault.

Known uses


Ludo Bagman paid off bets to Fred and George Weasley, as well as many other winners, including goblins, at the Quidditch World Cup using Leprechaun gold. Rubeus Hagrid used Leprechaun gold coins in a Care of Magical Creatures class where he was introducing the students to Nifflers, and Gregory Goyle's attempt to pocket them secretly was thwarted when he heard they would disappear eventually.

Ron Weasley paid back Harry Potter in Leprechaun gold for the Omnioculars in the Quidditch World Cup, not knowing that Leprechaun gold would disappear until Hagrid told him later in Care of Magical Creatures class. Ron felt bad about this, but Harry told him it was no problem.

Behind the scenes

 * The concept of leprechaun gold vanishing after a time may draw from the concept in Welsh folklore that money or other gifts given by fairies will vanish or turn to worthless objects if you tell anyone where you got them from.
 * On Pottermore, leprechaun gold is represented by collecting an item using the same image as the collectible Galleons. However, when the item is later viewed in the trunk, it is completely blank, similar to the "image" used to represent The Invisible Book of Invisibility.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Pottermore