DonutSMP WikiShards Guide
How shards work on DonutSMP since the June 2026 update: how players get them now, what the Shard Shop sells, which earning methods were removed, and whether shards can be traded.
What shards are
Shards are DonutSMP's second currency [1]. You spend them in the Shard Shop [1][2]. /shards [player] shows how many shards a player has, or your own if you leave out the name [3]. After the June 2026 update the scoreboard shows only balance, shards, kills, deaths and playtime, and you can toggle these in the settings [4]. See Economy for how money works.
How to get shards now
Since the June 2026 update, AFKing no longer gives shards, and the AFK servers have been removed [4][1][2]. Sources disagree on what is left:
- Playtime. A Minecraft Forum guide to the economy after the June update says every player gets 1 shard per 10 minutes of playtime [1]. The fan-run donutsmp.wiki shards page (last updated September 7, 2026) gives the same rate and says Donut+ or Media rank is not needed [2].
- The official store. Both of those sources say shards can also be bought with real money from the official DonutSMP store [1][2]. The Minecraft Forum guide says "shards became a store currency in practice" [1].
- Store only. The fan-run Donutpedia page on the June 3, 2026 update says "Shards can only be obtained through purchase with real currency" [4]. The economy page of the fan-run donutsmp.wiki (September 7, 2026) also says shards "can no longer be earned through normal gameplay" and are bought from the official store [5]. This contradicts that wiki's own shards page [2].
Earning methods that were removed
| Method | Before June 2026 | Now |
|---|---|---|
| AFK Zone | 1 shard per minute [2] | Removed. The AFK servers are gone [4][1] |
| Killing players | 10 shards per kill [1][2] | Removed [2] |
| Donut+ / Media rank | Shards could be earned anywhere on the server [6][2] | According to donutsmp.wiki, this rank advantage was removed with the old earning system [2] |
| Crate keys | Priced in shards [5] | Crates and keys removed [4][5] |
The June update also removed /shop, crates, the AFK lobby and spawn lobbies [4][1]. See Gameplay features and History for the full list of changes.
The Shard Shop
Since the June 2026 update, the Shard Shop is opened from the /ah or /orders menu [4][1]. According to Donutpedia, many items from the old Shop can now be bought with shards [4].
The Minecraft Forum guide and the fan-run donutsmp.wiki (September 2026) list the same items and shard costs [1][2]:
| Item | Shards |
|---|---|
| Shard Pickaxe | 3,000 |
| Shard Axe | 3,000 |
| Shard Shovel | 3,000 |
| Shard Potion of Haste | 6,000 |
| Max-enchanted mace | 2,000 |
| Max-enchanted netherite spear | 1,500 |
| Max-enchanted netherite sword | 1,500 |
| Max-enchanted netherite pickaxe | 1,000 |
| Max-enchanted netherite shovel | 800 |
| Max-enchanted netherite axe | 600 |
| Max-enchanted netherite hoe | 500 |
| Bow / crossbow | 500 each |
| Netherite armor | 1,500 per piece |
donutsmp.wiki adds that the mace has Density and Wind Burst, the pickaxe comes with Silk Touch or Fortune, and the leggings and boots lack Blast Protection [2].
The fan site DonutSMP Terminal, which says it is "Not associated with Donutsmp", lists different costs: 1,500 shards each for the Shard Pickaxe, Shard Axe, Sell Axe and Shard Shovel, and 250 shards for the Shard Potion of Haste [7]. It says the Shard Pickaxe "Breaks 9 blocks at once in a 3x3 area", and that shard items are single-use and break after use, except the Haste potion [7].
Spawners are no longer sold
On February 26, 2026, spawner prices in the Shard Shop were set to 1,500 shards each [1][2]. The Shard Shop no longer sells spawners, and the Minecraft Forum guide says nothing else creates new ones [1]. According to donutsmp.wiki, only existing spawners can be traded between players [2]. The Minecraft Forum guide says older guides are outdated for September 2026 and later [1]. Donutpedia's command list says /medal gives 3 skeleton spawners to players who have finished the medal quest [3]. See Spawners FAQ.
Crate keys (historical)
According to the fan-run donutsmp.wiki, the February 26, 2026 update raised Prime keys to 2,000 shards and Crimson keys to 2,500 shards, and removed Gold and Amethyst keys [5][2]. Crates and crate keys were removed in June 2026 [4][5].
Can shards be traded?
Not directly. The Minecraft Forum guide calls shards "a second currency you cannot pay other players with" [1]. /pay sends money, not shards [3].
Items bought with shards are different. DonutSMP Terminal says shard items "cannot be buy ordered", and that besides the Shard Shop you can buy one another player has listed on the Auction House [7].
The rules forbid "Exchanging in-game items or services for real-world money, goods, services, or rewards" [8]. The Terms of Service (last updated April 8, 2026) say virtual items and currency remain DonutSMP's exclusive property, and players get only a "limited, revocable, non-transferable license" to use them [9]. See Rules and Rules and bans FAQ.
Player reaction
A Change.org petition created on June 3, 2026 against the update said the server was "shifting towards a pay-to-win model" and away from "a fair, vanilla gaming experience" [10]. See Events and controversies and Shards, ranks and store FAQ.
Related pages
Sources
- DonutSMP Economy After the June Update - Minecraft Forum (references Sept 7, 2026) - minecraftforum.net
- Shards - donutsmp.wiki (fan-run wiki, last updated Sep 7, 2026) - donutsmp.wiki
- Commands - Donutpedia (fan-run wiki) - donutsmp-wiki.pages.dev
- Shop removal update (June 3, 2026) - Donutpedia source (fan-run wiki, GitHub) - github.com
- The DonutSMP Economy - donutsmp.wiki (fan-run wiki, last updated Sep 7, 2026) - donutsmp.wiki
- Donut+ - Donutpedia (fan-run wiki) - donutsmp-wiki.pages.dev
- Shard Shop - DonutSMP Terminal (fan site, not associated with DonutSMP; data updated Nov 13, 2026) - donutsmpterminal.com
- DonutSMP Server Rules (official) - rules.donutsmp.net
- DonutSMP Terms of Service (last updated April 8, 2026) - tos.donutsmp.net
- Revert the new DonutSMP update (Change.org petition, June 3, 2026) - change.org