Moneylender

Moneylender
Info
Cost
Type(s)	Action
Kingdom card?	Yes
Set	Base
Illustrator(s)	Matthias Catrein
Card text
You may trash a Copper from your hand for +.

Moneylender is an Action card from the Base set. When played, it lets you trash a Copper from your hand and gives you + if you do. It is similar to terminal Silvers, since it gives you more than you would have had from just playing the Copper; however, it also gets the Coppers out of your deck so you can draw your better cards more often.

FAQ

Official FAQ

• You only get the + if you actually trashed a Copper.

Strategy

Moneylender provides a mix of economy and trashing. Many cards that trash from your hand can leave you generating little money on that turn, but Moneylender gives you a money boost when it trashes. Moneylender allows you to remove the Coppers from your deck while still allowing you to purchase the more expensive and powerful cards.

Though Moneylender gives +, you have to trash a Copper instead of getting to play it, so the net economy you get is similar to Silver.

Moneylender trashes only one card at a time, and often compares unfavorably to trashers that can trash multiple cards at once, such as Chapel. Moneylender also cannot trash Estates, and often benefits from being played alongside other cards that can, such as Remodel. The other trasher can then also trash the Moneylender once you have finished trashing your Coppers.

External strategy articles

Note: Article(s) below are by individual authors and may not represent the community's views on cards, but may provide more in-depth information. Caveat emptor.

• theory's 2010 article

Versions

English versions

Print	Digital	Text	Release	Date
		Trash a Copper card from your hand. If you do, +.	Dominion	October 2008
		You may trash a Copper from your hand for +.	Dominion (Second Edition)	October 2016

Other language versions

Language	Name	Print	Digital	Text	Notes
Chinese	錢莊 (pron. qiánzhuāng, lit. money laundering)
Czech	Lichvář
Dutch	Geldschieter			Je mag een koperkaart vernietigen. Als je dat doet, heb je deze beurt +.	(2009)
	Geldschieter			Je mag een koperkaart uit je hand vernietigen. Als je dat doet, heb je deze beurt +.	Tweede editie (herdruk 2019/2020) one or more other versions listed here
Finnish	Koronkiskuri
French	Prêteur sur gages
German	Geldverleiher			Entsorge ein Kupfer aus deiner Hand. Wenn du das machst: +.	(2008)
	Geldverleiher			Du darfst ein Kupfer aus der Hand für + entsorgen.	2. Edition (2019)
Greek	Τοκογλύφος (pron. tokoglyfos)
Hungarian	Uzsorás (lit. usurer)
Italian	Usuraio (lit. usurer)
Japanese	金貸し (pron. kanekashi)			+のために、手札の銅貨1枚を廃棄してもよい。
Korean	대금업자 (pron. daegeum-eobja)
Norwegian	Pengeutlåner
Polish	Lichwiarz			Wyrzuć z ręki na śmietnisko kartę Miedziaka, aby otrzymać +	(2015)
Romanian	Cămătar (lit. usurer)
Russian	Ростовщик (pron. rostovshshik)			Вы можете выкинуть карту Меди из руки, тогда +.
Spanish	Prestamista			Elimina una carta de Cobre de tu mano. Si lo haces, +	(2008)
	Prestamista			Puedes eliminar una carta de Cobre de tu mano. Si lo haces, +.	Segunda Edición (2021)

Trivia

Official card art.

Secret History

An old card that I don't think ever changed.

—Donald X. Vaccarino, The Secret History of the Dominion Cards

Retrospective

Moneylender should of course say "you may."

—Donald X. Vaccarino, What Donald X. Might Do With a Dominion Time Machine