In the ever-evolving world of Old School RuneScape (OSRS), new money-making methods keep surprising players—even after hundreds of tested strategies. On today’s episode of Unusual RuneScape Moneymakers, we dive into some fresh, unexpected ways to rake in OSRS gold, including a jaw-dropping method that nearly claims the number one spot on the leaderboard.
Let’s explore these unusual, yet surprisingly lucrative methods that could boost your GP while offering some fun along the way.
Meet the Gemstone Crab — The AFK Group Boss That Pays Off
Deep in the lush Totti Rainforest, part of the newly expanded Varmore region (introduced in the Varmore Part 3 update), lurks the Gemstone Crab — a boss anyone can kill. This group boss is unique: it’s essentially immortal, with no real health bar. Instead, the health bar you see is a timer showing when the boss will relocate, roughly every 10 minutes.
The best part? You only need to click once to start hitting it, and then you can AFK while gaining combat XP and contributing to the kill alongside other players.
This lazy XP train has created a boom in demand for cheap combat gear—especially bolts and arrows. The Bone Crossbow and its bone bolts are the go-to setup, perfect for both Ironmen and mains. You can buy bone bolts in bulk packs (each pack contains 100 bolts) from Nardock’s Bones Weapon Shop in Lumbridge Caves for just 3 GP each.
The Money-Making Twist
Although bone bolts cost 3 GP at Nardock, the surge in demand means the Grand Exchange price has skyrocketed to about 10–12 GP per bolt. This creates a fantastic buy-low, sell-high opportunity. By hopping worlds and buying bolt packs repeatedly, you can stack thousands of bone bolts quickly without banking since they stack in your inventory
Real Results from an Hour of “Hop and Shop”
After one hour of hopping and buying bone bolt packs, I ended up with over 700,000 bone bolts, spending around 3.7 million GP. Listing them on the Grand Exchange at 12 GP each, all sold within 12 hours for nearly 8.5 million GP. That’s a profit of about 4.8 million GP per hour—an incredible return with minimal effort and low requirements.
Even if prices drop to 9 GP, this method still nets a solid 2.6 million GP/hour. This bone bolt flipping method is one of the most consistent and reliable money makers we’ve tested recently and could remain profitable for the foreseeable future.
Fortis Coliseum Wave 1 Farming — Fast, Reliable GP from Sunfire Splinters
The Fortis Coliseum is one of OSRS’s hardest PvM challenges, but also highly lucrative. While killing the final boss Soul Herit at wave 12 can earn you around 10 million GP/hour, many players struggle to reach that stage consistently.
However, farming wave 1 repeatedly offers a quick and easy alternative. Each wave 1 completion guarantees 80 Sunfire Splinters, worth roughly 19,000 GP, and can be done in 20–30 seconds depending on gear and RNG.
Using ranged-focused gear and weapons like the Ventor Bow (which hits multiple targets), the goal is to quickly kill all four initial NPCs before the next enemy spawns. After optimizing gear and introducing Dragon Claws’ special attacks, wave 1 kills dropped to as low as 19 seconds.
Occasional Wave 2 Completion for Extra Profit
Wave 2 introduces the chance to drop Rune Kite Shields worth 127k each. Since completing wave 2 doesn’t consume too many supplies and offers a big payout, it’s worth completing when rune kite shields appear as loot.
Earnings Breakdown
After one hour, I completed 55 wave 1s and 4 wave 2s, earning 4,400 Sunfire Splinters and 16 rune kite shields. Selling all loot netted about 1.5 million GP, minus 488k GP spent on supplies, resulting in a net profit of approximately 1 million GP/hour. While not the highest GP/hour method, it’s efficient, consistent, and fun to run repeatedly.
Snowy Knights: Butterflies That Heal and Make Bank
Butterflies in OSRS are often overlooked but pack some surprising benefits, especially for Ironman players using moonlight moths to restore prayer.
One butterfly in particular, the Snowy Knight, heals a hefty 15 HP (more than a lobster) and sells for around 2,000 GP each. They’re easy to catch if you have butterfly jars and a magic butterfly net.
Best Spot and Method
Instead of the typical Polar Hunter area, I farmed snowy knights in the new Mons Gratia area of Varlemore, easily reached via the Pendant of the Eights teleport.
By tagging all snowy knights and giving them a red outline, catching became easier. Using butterfly jars bought cheaply (1 GP each from the Hunter Guild in Varlemore, versus 70 GP at the Grand Exchange), I caught 705 snowy knights in one hour.
Profit Outcome
Listed at 2k GP each, all sold in about 2 hours for nearly 1.4 million GP. A relaxed, steady money maker proving that even decades-old game elements can still turn decent profits.
Giant Frog Legs — Weird, Unusual, and Surprisingly Profitable
Ever chomped on some giant frog legs? These odd items drop from level 99 giant frogs, heal 6 HP, and sell for over 4,000 GP each.
Found primarily in the Lumber Swamp Caves, farming these frogs with near-max melee gear is simple. I killed frogs in groups of three by teleporting to Tears of Gothics and running north, efficiently banking when inventory was full.
After one hour, I gathered 98 frog legs, selling instantly for 427k GP. While not earth-shattering, this method rivals Barrows GP/hour and offers a quirky, fun way to earn.
Zombie Pirate Lockers in the Wilderness — Risk Meets Reward
For those who love risk, opening Zombie Pirate Lockers in level 14 Wilderness offers exciting rewards.
You’ll need zombie pirate keys, buyable from the Grand Exchange or dropped by Chaos Temple zombie pirates. Wearing an Amulet of Avarice causes all loot to be noted and automatically placed in your looting bag.
The Big Drops
The rarest and most valuable drop is the Teleport Anchoring Scroll (1 in 275 chance), currently worth around 675k GP.
I opened 250 keys in one session, surviving without seeing a single PKer by using cheap tank gear and a divine shield, in a low-total-level world for safety.
Profits & Potential
Loot from 250 keys sold for 4.3 million GP after spending 3.5 million on keys, netting 846k GP in just 10 minutes. This scales to around 5 million GP per hour if you maintain the scroll drop rate.
Expect risk, but the reward can be enormous if you’re cautious and efficient.
Final Thoughts
After testing over 120 money-making methods, it’s clear OSRS still holds plenty of unusual and profitable secrets. Whether you’re into lazy AFK XP and flipping bone bolts, racing through the Fortis Coliseum waves, farming rare butterflies, quirky frog legs, or taking high-risk wagers in the Wilderness, there’s a method here for every style and bankroll.
If you’re looking for a fresh money-making challenge or a new way to climb the leaderboard, these unusual moneymakers might be your next best bet.
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