## What it is (and isn't)

**What it is:** A render-and-print-only generator. You paste an existing PotCoin address + WIF private key and it builds a designed printable card with three QR codes, hazard-striped warnings on the back, and a fold-and-seal layout.

**What it isn't:** A keypair generator. There is no entropy collection, no mouse-mash, no key creation. If you don't already have a keypair, generate one first at [paper.potcoin.com](https://paper.potcoin.com/) (Single Wallet tab) or with a CLI tool, then return here to print it.

**Why a separate tool?**  
Splitting "generate" from "print" lets you use any trusted entropy source — a hardware RNG, a vanity grinder, the standard generator on an air-gapped machine — and just bring the resulting key here for presentation. The retro generator is purely a beautiful printable wrapper.

## Theme (so you know what you're getting)

- **Phosphor purple/magenta** on a deep purple/black background
- Animated **scanline overlay** across the whole viewport
- Headers in **VT323** (chunky 8-bit terminal font)
- Body in **Share Tech Mono**, printed wallet in **Courier Prime**
- Cannabis-leaf SVG watermark tiled at 4.5% opacity on the print
- Hazard diagonal stripes on the private-key flap
- Status badges: `● OFFLINE SAFE · ● CLIENT-SIDE ONLY · ⚠ GO OFFLINE FIRST`

## End-to-end walkthrough

1. ### Generate a keypair somewhere safe

Easiest path: open [paper.potcoin.com Single Wallet](/content/tutorials/paper-wallet.html) on an offline machine, mash the mouse for entropy, click `Generate New Address`. Copy the P-address and the WIF private key.

2. ### Open [retropaper.potcoin.com](https://retropaper.potcoin.com/)

Right-click → **Save As** a single HTML file (≈206 KB, fully self-contained). For real cold storage, copy this file to an offline machine and open it from there.

3. ### Paste your address and WIF

Two textareas under _"▶ ENTER WALLET DETAILS"_:  
   - `POTCOIN ADDRESS — SHARE FREELY TO RECEIVE POT`  
   - `◈ PRIVATE KEY — SECRET / NEVER SHARE`

4. ### (Optional) add a label and date

Helps you remember what this wallet was for, when you generated it, and which series it belongs to.

5. ### Click `▶ RENDER WALLET`

The preview panel updates live (also re-renders on any input change). You'll see three QR codes generate via `qrcodejs`:  
   - `qr-addr` — your public address (purple, 104px)  
   - `qr-key` — your private key WIF (red, 104px)  
   - `qr-balance` — a link QR pointing at `explorer.potcoin.com/address/<your-addr>` (54px) for one-tap balance checks later

6. ### Try the `⟳ DEMO` button first if you want a preview

Auto-fills one of three sample wallets. Click DEMO once to see what the printed card looks like, then clear it and paste your real keys.

7. ### Click `🖨 PRINT WALLET`

The CSS `@media print` hides the header, input panel, and instructions — only the wallet card prints. Use:  
   - **USB-connected printer** (no Wi-Fi/networked printers — they cache)  
   - **Heavy paper** if possible — receipt paper fades  
   - **Letter size, 0.4in margins** (the page presets these)

8. ### Cut, fold, store

The card has a printed dashed line: `✂ — — — FOLD & SEAL HERE — — — ✂`. Cut along the outer edge, fold on the dashed line so the front faces out and the hazard-striped back folds in.

The page's own final guidance: _"Store in a zip-lock bag in a fireproof safe — treat this like physical cash._"

## What's on the printed card

### Front (public-facing)

- Purple banner: `PAPER WALLET / POTCOIN COLD STORAGE`
- `🌿 POT ✦ POT ✦ POT ✦` repeating strip top and bottom
- Public address QR + the P-address text
- Wallet label + date you entered
- Smaller balance-check QR linking to the explorer
- Cannabis leaf SVG watermark (4.5% opacity)
- Footer: `retropaper.potcoin.com | v3.6.2 | OPEN SOURCE ✦ CLIENT-SIDE ONLY`

### Back (folds inside)

- Diagonal hazard stripes (red/black)
- Banner: `⚠ PRIVATE KEY — STRICTLY SECRET / NEVER SHARE THIS KEY / CONTROLS ALL FUNDS`
- Private key QR — caption: `DO NOT SCAN ONLINE`
- Full WIF text printed below the QR
- Address echo so you can verify front matches back
- Footer: `potcoin.com | v3.6.2 | TREAT LIKE CASH — STORE COLD`

## Air-gapped use (recommended for real money)

1. ### From an internet-connected machine

- Visit `retropaper.potcoin.com`
   - Right-click → Save As → save the HTML file
   - While you're online, also save the dependencies it needs cached: Google Fonts (VT323, Share Tech Mono, Courier Prime) and the qrcode.min.js from cdnjs — or accept that fonts will fall back to the OS monospace
   - Verify the SHA-256 of the saved HTML against the published hash if available

2. ### Move the file to an offline machine

USB stick → wipe internet → boot a Linux live USB or use a clean offline laptop.

3. ### Generate keys offline (also air-gapped)

Use the offline copy of `paper.potcoin.com` Single Wallet tab.

4. ### Open the saved retropaper HTML

Paste the keypair, render, print to a USB-connected printer.

5. ### Wipe the offline machine before reconnecting it

Reboot the live USB session (RAM is wiped on reboot), or full-disk encrypt + reset if it's a regular install.

## When to pick retro vs. standard

|  | [paper.potcoin.com](/content/tutorials/paper-wallet.html) | retropaper.potcoin.com |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Generates keys? | ✅ Yes (entropy collected) | ❌ No — paste only |
| Multiple wallets per page | ✅ Bulk, paper, vanity, brain | ❌ One wallet per render |
| BIP38 encryption | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (paste a pre-encrypted WIF if you want) |
| Aesthetic | Clean / utilitarian | CRT terminal / phosphor purple / hazard stripes |
| Best for | Generating fresh keys, batch ops | Final printable presentation of an existing key |
| Balance-check QR on print | ❌ | ✅ Yes — links to explorer |

**Workflow recommendation**  
Generate at `paper.potcoin.com` (Single Wallet) with full entropy. Print the standard wallet for the actual cold backup. Then also render the same key at `retropaper.potcoin.com` for a second presentation copy you can frame, give as a gift, or hide in a different vault. Two physical copies of the same key, one in each style.