Catching Gimmighoul isn't like hunting down a Pidgey or a Pikachu. It's weird. Honestly, it’s one of the most frustratingly specific mechanics Niantic has ever dropped into the game. You can’t just walk into a park, pop an Incense, and hope for the best. If you're looking for how to catch Gimmighoul in Pokémon GO, you have to realize that this little chest-obsessed creature is locked behind a literal hardware wall.
Basically, you need a Nintendo Switch.
Without a copy of Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet, you’re mostly stuck staring at those tiny gold ghosts that occasionally pop up and run away without giving you a chance to throw a Poké Ball. It feels like a prank. But it isn't. It’s a cross-platform integration that forces the mobile app and the console game to shake hands.
The Secret of the Coin Bag
To actually see Gimmighoul in its Roaming Form, you need a Coin Bag. Think of this like a special Mystery Box, similar to the one used for Meltan. You don't get it from a PokeStop. You get it by sending a Postcard from your phone to your Switch.
Open your Pokémon GO app. Go to your Bag. Look for your Postcard Book. You’ll need to select a postcard—any of them will do—and then choose the option to "Send to Nintendo Switch." On the Switch side, you’ll need to be in Pokémon Scarlet or Violet, head into the Poké Portal, select Mystery Gift, and then "Connect to Pokémon GO."
Once that first postcard lands in Paldea, boom. A Coin Bag appears in your GO inventory.
When you activate it, Roaming Form Gimmighoul starts spawning around you for 30 minutes. Be warned: they are tiny. Like, "did I just click a pebble?" tiny. They are easy to miss on the map if you aren’t paying close attention to the little puffs of dust that signify a spawn. Also, they are surprisingly jumpy. Use a Great Ball or Ultra Ball. Don't risk a basic red ball on something that took this much effort to find.
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Why does the Roaming Form matter?
In the console games, you mostly see the Chest Form. In Pokémon GO, we only get the Roaming Form. It’s spindly, carries a single coin on its back, and looks a bit like a bug-eyed alien.
The catch rate isn't terrible, but the spawn rate is limited to that 30-minute window. You can only use the Coin Bag once per day. To refresh it, you have to send another postcard the next day. It’s a daily chore. If you’re a completionist, this is your new life.
The Golden Lure Module: A massive grind
If you send five postcards—one per day—you get something even better: a Golden Lure Module. This is where things get interesting for the community.
Standard Lures are pink. This one is pure gold. When you slap this on a PokéStop, the stop itself turns gold. It starts dropping Gimmighoul Coins when you spin it. Sometimes, if you're lucky, a Roaming Form Gimmighoul might even show up at the stop for players who don't even have a Switch.
It’s a selfless move.
Actually, it’s a necessary move if you ever want to evolve this thing. You need 999 Gimmighoul Coins to turn it into Gholdengo. That is not a typo. Nine hundred and ninety-nine. Catching a Gimmighoul usually gives you maybe one or two coins if you're lucky. Spinning a Golden Stop gives you a handful.
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Does the "Excellent Throw" trick work?
People swear by different methods to maximize coin drops. Some say "Excellent Throws" give you a higher chance of a coin drop upon catching. Others think it's purely RNG. Based on thousands of player reports on Silph Road archives and community Discords, the consensus is that it's mostly random, but catching a Gimmighoul with a Silver Pinap Berry seems to be the gold standard for those trying to optimize the grind.
It takes forever. You’re looking at weeks, if not months, of daily postcard sending and lure parties to hit that 999 mark.
What if you don't own a Nintendo Switch?
This is the question I get asked most. It sucks, but your options are limited. You can’t get the Coin Bag on your own.
However, you can still catch Gimmighoul if someone else uses a Golden Lure Module nearby. Keep an eye on your local Campfire map. Look for those glittering gold stops. If you see one, run. Or walk briskly. Those stops are magnets for Gimmighoul hunters.
You can also trade for a Gimmighoul, but it’s a "Special Trade." It’ll cost a decent chunk of Stardust, and unless you’re Best Friends with the sender, it’s expensive. Plus, you still won't have a reliable way to get the coins needed for Gholdengo. You're basically adopting a pet you can't feed.
The Gholdengo Payoff
Is Gholdengo worth the 999 coin headache?
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In the Master League, Gholdengo has some niche uses because of its typing—Steel/Ghost is a fantastic defensive combo. It resists a ton of common moves. In raids, it’s a solid Ghost-type attacker, though maybe not the absolute top-tier king compared to Mega Gengar or Shadow Force Giratina.
But honestly? It’s a status symbol. Walking around with a surfboard-riding gold man shows everyone that you either have a Switch or very dedicated friends.
Critical Steps for Successful Hunting
Don't just pop the bag and sit on your couch.
- Keep moving. Like the Daily Adventure Incense, the Coin Bag performs better when the game registers movement. You'll get more spawns if you're walking than if you're stationary.
- Check your storage. There is nothing worse than having a Gimmighoul pop up and getting the "Storage Full" message. It’ll probably despawn by the time you transfer that 0-star Rattata.
- Save your Golden Lures. Don't just waste them on a random Tuesday at 11 PM. Coordinate with your local community. If four people all have Golden Lures and you find a cluster of four PokéStops, you can turn an entire park gold. Everyone gets coins. Everyone wins.
- Watch the weather. Gimmighoul is a Ghost-type. It gets a boost in Foggy weather. Depending on where you live, fog might be rare, but if it happens, that’s the time to use the bag. Higher CP, better IV potential.
The grind is real. The 999 coins represent one of the steepest evolution requirements in the history of the game. But at least it isn't based on total luck like catching a Galarian Bird. It’s a process.
Start by finding a friend with a Switch if you don't have one. Connect the accounts via Bluetooth. Send that first postcard. Once you see that little silver bag in your inventory, you're officially in the hunt. Just don't expect to have a Gholdengo by tomorrow. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
Check your Postcard Book daily. Send the gift. Spin the stops. Eventually, that counter will hit 999, and you'll have the flashiest Pokémon in the Pokédex.
Next Steps for Gimmighoul Hunters
To maximize your efficiency, start by cleaning out your Postcard Book; you can only hold a limited number, and you’ll need fresh ones from friends to keep the daily Switch connection going. Next, check your local community via the Campfire app to see if any "Golden Lure Parties" are scheduled for the upcoming weekend. Finally, ensure your Nintendo Switch firmware and Pokémon GO app are both updated to the latest versions to avoid Bluetooth pairing errors, which are notoriously common when trying to link the two devices for the first time.