Board game components. Whether they’re meeples, movers, money, minis, cards, cardboard, counters, or coins; they’re the fiddly bits that come with games that make them all the more fun and immersive. But there’s one component whose purpose and proper use remains a mystery to nearly all of us. It’s a component that comes with many games, and nearly all of us likely have several of them in our board game collections. But the odds are, you’ve never used it; you don’t even know how. What is this cryptic component of which I question? I’m talking about, of course, the Fantasy Flight Proof of Purchase.

Hi, I’m Chaz Marler of Pair Of Dice Paradise, and as I was opening my most recent Fantasy Flight acquisition, I began to ponder the obligatory Proof of Purchase that comes batched inside every box they bundle.

What does it do? How is it used? These questions burned within my brain. It became my quest. I had to find out. I began my journey of discovery by querying the hive mind of the internet and supping from the sweet nectar of knowledge harbored within. ... I did a Google search.

And online, I found fellow Fantasy Flight followers formulating feedback on its function in a few fan forums. But no matter how many forum threads I read and unraveled, the community always came to the same conclusion.

Nobody really knows.

Oh, there is the prevailing assumption that the Proof Of Purchase is probably referenced when contacting Fantasy Flight for replacement parts, but nobody knew anybody who had actually used it in this way. This purpose for the Proof Of Purchase appeared to be an urban legend, like kidney thieves, Sasquatch, or Evil Cody.

Unsatisfied, I took it upon myself to get to the bottom of this once and for all, by contacting Fantasy Flight directly. And so, I carefully composed my inquiring correspondence, asking how the Proof Of Purchase tokens are used. And soon, I received this actual, absolutely real reply back from Fantasy Flight, which states:

Chaz,
Thank you for contacting Fantasy Flight Games. Proof of Purchase is usually for well, proof of purchase. Have a great rest of your week! :)
Best,
Fantasy Flight Games Customer Service Team

Mission accomplished! That’s right, no longer will I be kept awake deep into the night, pondering the Proof Of Purchase purpose. Because now I know that the Proof Of Purchase is usually for, well, proof of purchase. Thank you, Fantasy Flight Customer Service representative. Without you, I don’t know where I’d be, but I do know that that’s where I would be at.