Some time ago I decided to create a high-res 3D model of a Bitcoin using Blender.

For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Blender is a great 3D modeling software, and it's completely free! https://www.blender.org/

At the beginning it's not very easy to use and its busy interface can easily scare who wants to approach it for the first time; there are great learning resources online though, and I learned it from a cool Udemy course: https://www.udemy.com/course/blendertutorial/

The steps I'm showing here are about the creation of a Bitcoin, but they are very similar for any kind of crypto coin.

I started modifying a simple cylinder:

then I added a box to recreate the rough side of a coin:

Blender has a useful function called array modifier that can copy an existing geometry for a fixed number of times. The array can also rotate around a center, and that's just what I need here:

The "physical" part of the coin is done already; I will now concentrate on what is printed on it. Using a bitcoin image as background, I placed my model just over it, and traced the B using paths.

Blender has also a text tool, so I searched online for the most similar font, and write the sentences on the coin; using the curve modifier, I bent the text until it matched the coin's radius.

And then, the most boring part: using the same technique of the B, I traced ALL the small circuits, one by one; and after that added the little boxes around.

The array modifier was useful again to create the chain boxes on the outer side:

The model is now ready, here it is in solid view:

It's now time to apply materials: I created 2 different materials, a golden one and a dark gray one, less reflective, for the background of the coin.

This is the same model with the materials applied to it:

After adding a couple of background panels, and some nice lights setup, I can now create multiple copies of the same coin, add some other elements, and finally have some cool renders! Here are some examples: