Four currencies exist. Cash is the in-round tool currency (Pitchfork $8, Dynamite $25, Vacuum $69.99) and resets every round. Gems are the persistent premium currency — class rolls cost 40 Gems, the Dog Pet costs 1,000 Gems, the Pet Cosmetics stand restocks by the hour, and an 8-day login track grants 880 Gems. Diamonds drop from the Prospector class (+50% chance) and Lucky Blast clears with no published spend catalogue. Alien Coins are a limited-time currency introduced on 2026-09-03, earned on Farmhouse / Barn / Silo round clears and on Chapter 2 Basement clears, and spent on Alien Chests at roughly 100 coins per chest.
Four currencies, four roles
Search For The Needle runs four currencies that do not convert into each other. Cash lives and dies inside a single round — every Tools & Upgrades shop closes when the round ends. Gems are the persistent premium that buys persistent progression (class rolls, Pet, Cosmetics). Diamonds are a pure drop currency with no published spend catalogue. Alien Coins are a 2026-09-03 limited-time currency that feeds Alien Chests in the lobby. Knowing which currency funds what is the first decision: the wrong currency on the wrong action wastes time you cannot recover mid-round.
At a glance — what each currency funds
| Currency | Scope | Where it comes from | What it buys | Detailed page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | Per round (resets) | Earned by selling hay during a round | Pitchfork $8, Dynamite $25, Vacuum $69.99 | /how-to-play |
| Gems | Permanent account balance | 8-day 880-Gem login track, like-the-game +25, join-group +25, class roll rewards, redemption codes (CLANS / WEATHER / ALIEN each 200 Gems per aggregator agreement) | Class rolls (40 Gems), Dog Pet (1,000 Gems), Pet Cosmetics stand (hourly restock), Index progression | /classes |
| Diamonds | Drop currency | Prospector class (+50% chance) and Lucky Blast trait drops | No published spend catalogue | /classes |
| Alien Coins | Limited-time (2026-09-03 event) | Farmhouse / Barn / Silo round clears, Chapter 2 Basement finale, ALIEN code when active | Alien Chests in the lobby (~100 coins per chest) | /updates |
Cash — the in-round tool currency
Cash is the only currency that resets every round. You earn it by selling hay at the Sell Hay cart and spend it on three tools from the in-round upgrade menu: Pitchfork ($8), Dynamite ($25), and Vacuum ($69.99). Trait upgrades (Hold, Grasp, Speed, Power, Lucky Blast, Hay Drone) are free in-round rolls and do not cost Cash. The right Cash order is Pitchfork first once you can afford it, Dynamite next if your class is Demolitionist, Vacuum only when you are hunting the Chapter 2 Basement Key. The full Tools & Upgrades table and per-class pairing live on /how-to-play.
Gems — the persistent premium currency
Gems are the only currency that survives between rounds. The primary Gem source is the 8-day login track (880 Gems total — about 22 class rolls at 40 Gems each). On top of that, liking the game and joining the official Garage Games creator group each grant a one-time +25 Gems. The 2x Gems gamepass at 79 R$ doubles every Gem source for the duration of the pass. When active redemption codes ship, aggregator agreement currently lists CLANS, WEATHER, and ALIEN at 200 Gems each — always confirm the active code list on /codes before relying on this. Gems fund four currencies at different price points: class rolls (40 Gems per roll), the Dog Pet (1,000 Gems), the Pet Cosmetics stand (hourly restock weights Common 40%, Uncommon 30%, Rare 18%, Epic 9%, Legendary 3%), and the new Index progression path. Treat the Cosmetics stand as a Gem sink — see /pets for the chase strategy.
Diamonds — the drop currency with no published spend
Diamonds drop from two sources: the Prospector class (3.9% roll chance, +50% Diamond drop chance, and hay can transform into Diamonds) and the Lucky Blast trait (a free in-round roll, bonus Diamonds on hay clears). Garage Games has not published a Diamond spend catalogue as of 2026-09-23, so Diamonds currently function as a watch currency — accumulate them, but do not expect to spend them on a published shop until Garage Games publishes one.
Alien Coins — the limited-time currency (2026-09-03 event)
Alien Coins were introduced on the 2026-09-03 build. They are earned on Farmhouse, Barn, and Silo round clears, on Chapter 2 Basement clears (the +25 Gems reward bundles an Alien Coin drop), and additionally when the ALIEN redemption code is active. The spend target is Alien Chests in the lobby at roughly 100 coins per chest. The in-game labels call this currency both Alien Coins and Alien Chests — they refer to the same limited-time pool, not two separate currencies. Garage Games has not published an end date, so the Chest reward table is a watch item. Pull the latest Chest catalogue from the official game page or the creator group channels before committing a full Chest pull.
What to spend each currency on first
Spend Cash on Pitchfork first
Cash resets every round, so the priority is whichever tool multiplies your current round. Buy Pitchfork ($8) the moment you can, then Dynamite ($25) if your class is Demolitionist, then Vacuum ($69.99) only on a Chapter 2 Basement Key hunt.
Done when: You buy Pitchfork on the first round you can afford it and Dynamite on the next.
Spend Gems on class rolls or the Dog Pet
The 8-day 880-Gem login track grants about 22 rolls. Spend on class rolls until you hit Pack Mule (25%) or Hay Merchant (14%), or save 1,000 Gems for the Dog Pet if you prefer the free-track pet over the 499 R$ Cow Pet pass.
Done when: You have a target class or the Dog Pet and stop spending Gems until the next login cycle.
Accumulate Diamonds until a spend catalogue is published
Diamonds drop from Prospector and Lucky Blast. Garage Games has not published a spend table, so accumulate them — do not treat them as a current-game spend currency.
Done when: You stop checking for a Diamond shop and wait for Garage Games to publish one.
Spend Alien Coins on Alien Chests while the event is open
Alien Coins spend at roughly 100 coins per Alien Chest. The event end date is not published, so commit a Chest pull only after you confirm the event is still active on /updates.
Done when: You pull Alien Chests only after the dated /updates status confirms the event is still live.
FAQ
How many currencies does Search For The Needle have?
Four. Cash is the in-round tool currency (Pitchfork $8, Dynamite $25, Vacuum $69.99, resets every round). Gems are the persistent premium that funds class rolls (40 Gems), the Dog Pet (1,000 Gems), Pet Cosmetics, and the Index. Diamonds drop from the Prospector class and Lucky Blast trait and have no published spend catalogue. Alien Coins are a limited-time currency introduced on 2026-09-03, earned on Farmhouse / Barn / Silo round clears and Chapter 2 Basement clears, spent on Alien Chests at roughly 100 coins per chest. See /currencies for the full breakdown.
Does Cash in Search For The Needle carry over between rounds?
No. Cash is the in-round tool currency and resets to zero at the end of every round. Spend it on Pitchfork ($8) the moment you can, then Dynamite ($25) if your class is Demolitionist, then Vacuum ($69.99) only on a Chapter 2 Basement Key hunt — Cash you hold at the end of a round is lost.
What should I spend Gems on first in Search For The Needle?
Spend Gems on class rolls (40 Gems per roll at the Classes booth) until you hit Pack Mule (25%) or Hay Merchant (14%), or save 1,000 Gems for the Dog Pet if you want the free-track pet. The 8-day login track grants about 880 Gems (≈22 rolls), plus one-off +25 Gems each for liking the game and joining the Garage Games creator group.
What do Diamonds buy in Search For The Needle?
Nothing published. Diamonds drop from the Prospector class (+50% drop chance and hay can transform into Diamonds) and from the Lucky Blast trait. Garage Games has not published a Diamond spend catalogue as of 2026-09-23, so accumulate them until an official spend shop is announced on the Roblox game page or the creator group channels.
When does the Search For The Needle Alien Coins event end?
Not publicly published. Alien Coins and Alien Chests were introduced on the 2026-09-03 build and Garage Games has not announced an end date for the event window or for Alien Coin / Alien Chest availability. Spend Alien Coins at roughly 100 coins per Alien Chest while the event is still active — confirm the dated status on /updates before committing a full Chest pull.
Do Search For The Needle codes give Gems?
When active redemption codes ship, aggregator agreement currently lists CLANS, WEATHER, and ALIEN at 200 Gems each, and ALIEN also bundles a small Alien Coin grant. Garage Games has not published any active codes as of 2026-09-23 — check the /codes page for the current dated status before relying on a code reward.