# Pearls

> Pearls are GenetixBay's community points, in two kinds: Wild Pearls earned by contributing, and Cultured Pearls bought as store credit; neither has cash value.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/pearls.html
- Also written: Pearl, GenetixBay Pearls, Bay Pearls, Pearl balance
- Glossary category: GenetixBay terms
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Pearls are the points system on GenetixBay. They reward the work that keeps genetics alive and knowledge honest, and they come in two kinds that are kept strictly apart.

## In practice

**Wild Pearls** are earned by doing: documented grow journals, keeper nominations, males registered in [the Stud Book](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/stud-book.md), preservation of lost lines, joining trials, reviews after a completed swap. **Cultured Pearls** are purchased store credit for the GenetixBay store. Every Pearl movement is recorded in a ledger, so balances can be audited.

Pearls never reward a yield or potency number by itself; documentation does. Where [cannabis seed](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/achene.md) is concerned, Pearl use follows the law in each region, and a seed pack is never priced in or paid with Cultured Pearls.

## Don't confuse with

- **Money**: Pearls have no cash value and cannot be cashed out.
- **Reputation**: a separate measure of standing; Pearls are spendable, reputation is not.

## Related terms

[Wild Pearls](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/wild-pearls.md), [Cultured Pearls](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cultured-pearls.md), [The Swap](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/the-swap.md), [Grow journal](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/grow-journal.md), [Stud Book](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/stud-book.md)