user1766: If testnet coins are this difficult to get, what's the chance people start throwing in some real money to speed along the process?
If only to just have to not wait to test, say if you have an important time sensitive simulation you want to run?

user2860: As an alternative to the great tpfaucet, we also give away free testnet coins at
http://testnet.mojocoin.com
We should help out our fellow developers with testnet bitcoins. There's no need to pay for them. 

user153: You can always try to hit up a developer on #bitcoin-dev IRC channel (Freenode).
Also, there is now a faucet:

http://tpfaucet.appspot.com


user323: I have recently created a TestNet Faucet. It is available on
http://tpfaucet.appspot.com/
I hope this remedies the situation
To answer your question - while there is nothing stopping people from charging for TestNet coins, I think they should be freely available to anyone for testing. It lets newcomers get a feel for what Bitcoin is without risking their money. I hope that a few Bitcoin developers (or even the Bitcoin Foundation) will provide TestNet Bitcoins for free as long as the Bitcoin project is used.

1766: <p>If testnet coins are <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/5770/how-do-i-generate-coins-on-testnet-cpu-gpu-fpga-are-there-pools/5778#comment8110_5778">this</a> difficult to get, what's the chance people start throwing in some real money to speed along the process?
If only to just have to not wait to test, say if you have an important time sensitive simulation you want to run?</p>
 2860: <p>As an alternative to the great tpfaucet, we also give away free testnet coins at</p>

<p><a href="http://testnet.mojocoin.com" rel="nofollow">http://testnet.mojocoin.com</a></p>

<p>We should help out our fellow developers with testnet bitcoins. There's no need to pay for them. </p>
 153: <p>You can always try to hit up a developer on #bitcoin-dev IRC channel (Freenode).</p>

<p>Also, there is now a faucet:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://tpfaucet.appspot.com" rel="nofollow">http://tpfaucet.appspot.com</a></li>
</ul>
 323: <p>I have recently created a TestNet Faucet. It is available on</p>

<p><a href="http://tpfaucet.appspot.com/">http://tpfaucet.appspot.com/</a></p>

<p>I hope this remedies the situation</p>

<p>To answer your question - while there is nothing stopping people from charging for TestNet coins, I think they should be freely available to anyone for testing. It lets newcomers get a feel for what Bitcoin is without risking their money. I hope that a few Bitcoin developers (or even the Bitcoin Foundation) will provide TestNet Bitcoins for free as long as the Bitcoin project is used.</p>
