You're sweating. Jack Baker is stalking through the hallways of the Dulvey plantation, humming a distorted tune while dragging a shovel across the floorboards. You have exactly two shotgun shells and a green herb to your name. Then, you see it. A glint of silver inside a dirty birdcage. It's one of those Resident Evil 7 coins, and suddenly, the power dynamic in this house feels like it might actually shift.
But here’s the thing about these Antique Coins—they aren’t just collectibles for trophy hunters. They are a finite currency that dictates whether you’ll be struggling with a pea-shooter for the next three hours or blowing Molded heads off with a 44. Magnum. If you waste them on the wrong upgrades early on, you’re basically signing your own death warrant when you hit the salt mines later. Honestly, the game doesn't tell you how rare these things are until it's way too late to change your mind.
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The Brutal Reality of Difficulty Scaling
Let's get one thing straight: the amount of Resident Evil 7 coins you find depends entirely on how much you enjoy suffering. On Easy or Normal difficulty, there are 18 coins scattered around the Baker estate and the wrecked ship. That sounds like a lot, right? It isn't. Not when you realize the best gear is gated behind birdcages that eat your inventory like a hungry dog.
Madhouse difficulty changes the game entirely. It bumps the count up to 33 coins. You’d think more coins equals an easier time, but Capcom developers are masochists. On Madhouse, the coin locations are completely rearranged. You'll find them in places that make no sense, like tucked behind a dresser in a room you'd usually sprint through. If you're playing on Madhouse, you have to be meticulous. One missed coin early in the guest house or the main hall can prevent you from getting the Iron Sight or the faster reload speed when the difficulty spikes.
Where People Usually Mess Up
Most players see the first birdcage in the trailer and panic-buy the Steroids. I get it. Your max health is low and you’ve been bitten by giant bugs for the last hour. But buying Steroids with your first batch of Resident Evil 7 coins is often a trap.
Think about it this way: Steroids heal you fully and increase your health cap. If you use them when you're already at full health just for the upgrade, you've wasted a full heal. Save that purchase for when you’re in the red. Better yet, save your coins for the Stabilizer. The reload speed in this game is agonizingly slow, and in a boss fight against Marguerite, those extra seconds spent fumbling with bullets are the difference between winning and watching a "You Are Dead" screen.
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Tracking Down the Missable Resident Evil 7 Coins
You can't just backtrack whenever you want. This isn't an open-world RPG. Once you leave certain areas, those coins are gone forever.
- The very first coin is the most famous "gotcha" in the game. You have to watch the "Derelict House Flick" videotape at the start. As the cameraman, walk backward immediately and pick up the lockpick on the ground. Use it on the kitchen drawer. Then, when you return to the "present day" as Ethan, open that same drawer. Boom. Coin number one. If you forget the lockpick in the past, the drawer is locked in the present. It’s a brilliant, mean bit of game design.
- There's a coin in the crawlspace under the floorboards in the Main House 1F, right near where you find the hatch key. People miss this because they're too busy running from Jack. Don't run. Peek under there.
- On the Wrecked Ship, there’s a coin hidden in a bowl of chemicals. You need Corrosive to get to it. Most people use their Corrosives to progress the story, but if you don't save one for the optional rooms, you’ll leave the ship short-handed.
The 44. Magnum costs 9 coins on Normal. Is it worth it? Sorta. It hits like a truck, but ammo is so scarce that you’ll find yourself hoarding it "for the right moment" until the credits roll. If you're a crack shot with the handgun, you might be better off investing in the Stabilizer and just getting really good at landing headshots.
Madhouse: A Different Beast Entirely
If you're brave enough for Madhouse, the Resident Evil 7 coins are your only lifeline. You’ll find the first few in the most random spots—one is literally on a shelf in the garage where you fight Jack in the car.
The economy on Madhouse is much tighter. You need 3 coins for the Scorpion Key, which is a mandatory story item on this difficulty. It isn't just sitting on a meat hook anymore. This changes the math. You can't just buy whatever you want; you have to budget for progression. If you spend your coins on health upgrades and then realize you don't have enough for the key, you’re forced to hunt through rooms filled with faster, meaner Molded just to find the spare change you missed.
Why the Birdcages Matter
The birdcages act as the game's shop. There are two main locations where you can spend your Resident Evil 7 coins: the Trailer in the yard and the final save point before the end-game sequence.
- Steroids (3 Coins): Increases max HP and heals you.
- Stabilizer (5 Coins): Greatly reduces reload time.
- 44. Magnum (9 Coins): High damage, very rare ammo.
On Madhouse, the shop expands. You can get things like the Iron Sights or even a circular saw if you’ve unlocked it, but the core strategy remains: reload speed is king. In Resident Evil, movement and reloading are your primary defensive tools. If you can't get lead downrange fast enough, all the extra health in the world won't save you from being cornered.
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The Strategy for a Perfect Run
To get the most out of your Resident Evil 7 coins, you need a plan before you even step foot on the Baker property.
First, decide if you're going for the "Pelicans in Your Pocket" trophy/achievement. If you are, you need every single one. Use a checklist. It sounds tedious, but missing the coin in the toilet of the trailer or the one hidden in the vent of the testing area is soul-crushing when you realize it at the end of the game.
Second, don't spend coins the moment you get them. The game likes to tempt you. It gives you just enough coins to buy the Steroids right before a big fight. Resist. See if you can beat the encounter with your current stats. If you can save those coins for the Stabilizer later, the second half of the game becomes significantly more manageable.
Third, pay attention to the environment. Capcom loves putting coins in "natural" places. Look inside vases, check the corners of drawers, and always, always look under furniture. If a room looks empty but the "search" icon pops up near a piece of junk, there's probably a coin there.
Final Tactics for the Dulvey Haunted House
The search for Resident Evil 7 coins is ultimately a test of your observation under pressure. It's easy to find them when the house is quiet, but when the lights are flickering and something is scratching inside the walls, most players just want to find the exit.
To maximize your efficiency, keep these steps in mind:
- Always use the lockpick in the VHS tape sequence to unlock the kitchen drawer. It's the most common "missed" coin in the entire community.
- Prioritize the Stabilizer over the Magnum unless you are struggling significantly with boss damage. The reload speed buff applies to every weapon, making it more versatile.
- In the Wrecked Ship section, don't rush. There are two coins there that are notoriously difficult to spot because of the dark, metallic textures of the ship’s interior. Use your flashlight and sweep the floor in every room.
- If playing on Madhouse, remember that the Scorpion Key is a coin purchase. Do not spend all your coins until you have secured that key, or you will find yourself stuck in a very dangerous loop of backtracking.
By treating these coins as a strategic resource rather than just another collectible, you turn Ethan Winters from a victim into a survivor. The Bakers might own the house, but if you spend your currency wisely, you'll be the one left standing when the sun comes up.