As a loot based action RPG, Destiny 2 has no shortage of vendors and NPCs to talk to. However, one of the more unique and mysterious individuals that players cross paths with is the exotic merchant Xur. A weekend staple of the series since the franchise's original launch all the way back in 2014, Xur appears only over the course of a weekend, bringing a rotating selection of exotic items with randomized stat rolls for players to purchase.

Xur is a character that hasn't seen much growth, though his visual design as well as his connection to the mysterious group known as the Nine has always made him a character fans want to know more about. While Bungie has yet to really delve into Xur's backstory, the merchant has been given a staring role inside of the 30th Anniversary Update for Destiny 2 acting as the point of contact for the newly added Dares of Eternity event in the style of a classic TV gameshow host.

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In fact, Xur's game, Treasure Hoard social area, and the new destination called Eternity has a ton of callbacks and Easter eggs for players to discover. One aspect that has seen a return is the old Destiny resource called Strange Coins. Unlike how they were used in the original Destiny, they're much easier to find and highly important for unlocking new gear. Here's everything players need to know about Strange Coins.

A Destiny 2 player suggests adding old shaders to Xur's loot pool.

What Are Strange Coins?

Originally introduced in Destiny, Strange Coins acted as a currency that players could be randomly awarded with for completing activities in the game like getting a gold rating in public events, looting chests in the Prison of Elders, finishing ritual activities like the Crucible or Strikes, and more. Players could then use them to purchase exotic gear and weapons from Xur, who would randomly appear in the game only during the weekends.

With the arrival of Destiny 2, Strange Coins were discarded in favor of glimmer and legendary shards, making it easier for players to obtain Xur's exotic merchandise. However, with the focus on Xur and his Treasure inside of the 30th Anniversary Update, Bungie has brought back the Strange Coin in a neat little callback to Destiny's past, along with gear and weapons based on Bungie's overall history. This time around however, players will want to stock up on Strange Coins in order to score some of the new gear that has been added with this update as well as unlocking the exotic Forerunner sidearm, which is only 1 of a bunch of Halo inspired weapons making their debut in Destiny 2.

destiny-2-dares-of-eternity

How to Find Strange Coins

After going through the initial round of Dares of Eternity following the first Destiny 2 login after the update, players will then gain access to unlocking Strange Coins. While the system is mainly set to RNG, earning Strange Coins means players simply need to engage with the various activities that Destiny 2 offers.

This includes:

  • Completing Dares of Eternity.
  • Finding them from Paraversal Haul reward boxes.
  • Completing ritual activities like Gambit, Strikes, and Crucible matches.
  • Turning in Xur and other bounties
  • Finishing Heroic Public Events

While there's no sure fire way of earning Strange Coins, many players have opted to focus on the Dares of Eternity event as it not only rewards them at the end of a run, but players can also recieve Treasure Keys and Anniversary gear at the same time, making it fairly rewarding.

destiny 2 30th anniversary bungie event

What To Use Strange Coins On

With Strange Coins in hand, players should visit Xur's Treasure Hoard social space from the Eternity destination on the director. These are the main way to unlock daily and weekly Starhorse bounties, specialized tasks that add challenges to runs of Dares of Eternity in exchange for additional rewards like XP, Enhancement Cores, and Paraversal Haul boxes.

In addition, Strange Coins can be exchanged for legendary gear, Paraversal Haul boxes, and Treasure keys directly from Xur or Starhorse.

In addition, Strange Coins are a required component for completing the new exotic weapon quest for the Halo-inspired Forerunner sidearm. After getting the quest from Xur, players will need to collect seven Strange Coins in order to progress the quest forward.

Destiny 2 is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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