The Handful of Coins regrouped the Zhentil Keep's merchants not affiliated with the Zhentarim. They were an informal mutual assistance group, with the objective of protect their members from abuse by the lords and/or the Zhentarim. They also protect themselves from the magistrate and tried to improve foreign trade in the Keep. Their true power however derived from the sponsorship by some Beholder that protect secretly the Coins from the Zhent's assault. The beholder helped them behind the scenes in order to balance the Zhent's power, also involving anti-zhent group like Knights of the North.