COMMEMORATIVE Gold-Pressed Latinum Display Box (Forged With Stop Motion)

A Ferengi Inspired Collector Display with Commander Bear Quality Assurance

...a properly displayed profit is a respected profit.

This project started with two thoughts:

1. Gold Pressed Latinum deserves a better display than just a pile on a shelf.
2. If the Ferengi celebrated anything, it would absolutely be a profitable fiscal year.

So... this became the “Grand Nagus Rom First Fiscal Year Commemorative Edition” a Ferengi inspired collector display lockbox designed to feel like something Quark would proudly overcharge you for on the Promenade, mixed with the commemorative coins you can pick up at the post office.

The finished build includes:

1. A hinged presentation lockbox
2. Magnetic closure system
3. Crimson felt-lined interior
4. Display insert for multiple denominations of Gold Pressed Latinum
5. Laser etched commemorative plaque
6. Ferengi Commerce Authority certification decal
7. Stop-motion Commander Bear supervision throughout the fabrication

This project combines 3D printing, painting, laser engraving, prop finishing, and just enough Quarks Jingle to hopfully inspire a build or two.

3D Printing

1. PLA+ filament (colour doesnt matter, paint over it)
2. 3D printer
3. Slicer software
4. Box Files https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7349734
5. Gold Pressed Latinum Files https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4178725

Paint and Finishing

1. Metallic silver spray paint
2. Gold paint marker/paint pen
3. Sandpaper (various grits)
4. Painter’s gloves, mask, or masking materials

Hardware

1. Small neodymium magnets (10mm x 2mm)
2. Miniature hinges
3. Small hinge screws
4. Precision screwdriver

Interior Materials

1. Red felt fabric
2. Fabric scissors
3. Instant glue/CA glue
4. Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Plaque and Decals

1. Gold-coated laserable plaque material (optional)
2. Laser engraver (if available)
3. Printed Ferengi Commerce Authority decal
4. Adhesive vinyl or sticker paper (print plaque as sticker if laser unavailable)

Commander Bear Department

1. Commander Bear
2. Picinic basket stocked craft table
3. Extremely questionable Ferengi business ethics
4. Several hours of stop-motion patience

The project begins with printing the core lockbox components.

The box body, lid, and insert were printed in PLA+. The latinum bars themselves were printed separately so they could be painted and displayed individually.

For the build footage, I captured timelapse shots from inside the printer while the parts were fabricated. It gave the project a surprisingly “replicator” feel that fit the Ferengi theme perfectly.

Printed Components

1. Lockbox base
2. Lid
3. Gold Pressed Latinum pieces
4. Decals

The insert was designed so each latinum piece sits snuggly while still being easy to remove for display or commerce.

Once printed, the parts were sanded (regretably not filmed) , cleaned, and painted.

The lockbox exterior received a metallic silver finish with gold accent details added using a Liquid gold paint marker. I wanted it to feel somewhere between ceremonial Ferengi luxury and “slightly mass produced souvenir sold at Quark’s.”

Commander Bear personally inspected the paint quality.

The gold accents were intentionally subtle so the red felt interior and gold latinum pieces would remain the visual focus.

Hinges are installed to give the box a more premium presentation feel.

The hinges were secured using small screws, and magnets were added in the felt interior step to create a satisfying magnetic closure system.

No respectable Ferengi product could ever ship without official certification.

A Ferengi Commerce Authority decal was created, printed, cut out, and applied to the exterior of the box.

The plaque and certification elements helped transform the project into “FCA certified official Ferengi collector item.”

The interior was lined with red felt to create a more luxurious styled presentation.

The magnets are hidden beneath small felt covers inside the box to keep the interior clean and prevent the magnets from pulling loose over time.

The insert and lid lining were both covered separately so the box would feel more like a ceremonial collector case than a standard storage box.

This was also the point where the project started feeling less like a printed object and more like an in-universe prop.

Profit should never rattle loosely during transport.

The plaque inside the lid commemorates Grand Nagus Rom's First Fiscal Year which theroretically increases the value of the Latinum containted with-in.

The plaque was laser etched onto gold coated material and mounted inside the lid.

The plaque itself was written with the kind of overly formal wording I imagine Ferengi accountants would proudly celebrate.

I laser etched it, but I am confident a printed version on a sticker paper would also look good.

Once assembled, the latinum bars are loaded into the insert and the final presentation is ready.

The completed box feels somewhere between:

1. A collector’s display piece
2. A ceremonial profit award
3. A Deep Space Nine gift shop exclusive
4. Something Quark would absolutely claim is “limited edition” while secretly having a warehouse full of them

Commander Bear approved the final product.

Rule of Acquisition # 239

1. “Never be afraid to mislabel a product.”