Pixel art illustration of a coal ore block with black coal specks in gray stone

Minecraft Java Item ID

Coal Ore ID

Coal Ore is a common mineral block found underground. Mining it with a pickaxe drops coal, which is used as fuel and for crafting torches.

✓ Verified for Java Edition 26.2

Namespaced item ID minecraft:coal_ore

Coal Ore Item Facts

CategoryNatural Blocks

Maximum stack64

Available inSurvival and Creative

Historical numerical ID16

Historical numerical ID: Reviewed for Java Edition 1.12.2 and earlier.

Give Command for Coal Ore

Copy the current Java Edition command, or open the generator to change the player and quantity.

/give @p minecraft:coal_ore 1

Customize this command →

Historical command for Java 1.12.2 and earlier

Modern namespaced IDs are recommended. This numerical form is only for old Java releases.

/give @p 16 1

Give command syntax by version

Java 1.13+

/give @p minecraft:coal_ore 1

Namespaced ID (current format)

Java 1.8–1.12.2

/give @p 16 1 0

Numerical ID + data value

Bedrock Edition

/give @p minecraft:coal_ore 1

Same namespaced ID (namespace optional)

Rows appear only when the underlying value is verified: the Java 1.8–1.12.2 row requires a reviewed historical numerical ID, and the Bedrock row appears only when this exact namespaced ID exists in the Bedrock registry.

How to Get Coal Ore

Finding Coal Ore

Mine Coal Ore blocks with a Silk Touch tool.

More Ways to Get It

Coal Ore is the first ore most players find. It generates in two batches—most common around Y=96 between Y=0 and Y=192, plus another batch from Y=136 up to Y=320—and any pickaxe, even wooden, mines it. Each block drops 1 coal and 0–2 experience; Fortune I–III raises the drop to up to 4 coal, while Silk Touch drops the ore block itself.

Explore caves, mountainsides, or dig a mine around Y=96 where coal ore is most common.
Mine the gray-black speckled blocks with any pickaxe; no minimum tier is required.
Collect the coal drops—use a Fortune-enchanted pickaxe for up to 4 coal per block, or smelt the block directly if you mined it with Silk Touch.

Prefer commands? Jump back to the give command matrix above to get Coal Ore instantly.

Build With Coal Ore

minecraft:coal_ore is in the reviewed block catalog. Open a command tool with this ID already selected, then adjust the coordinates in the tool.

Place one with /setblock → Fill an area with /fill →

Need a different material? Browse Minecraft Block IDs or compare the related blocks below.

Coal Ore Command Examples

Give 1 to nearest player: /give @p minecraft:coal_ore 1
Give 1 to yourself: /give @s minecraft:coal_ore 1
Give to a specific player: /give PlayerName minecraft:coal_ore 1
Clear from inventory: /clear @p minecraft:coal_ore

What Is Coal Ore Used For?

Coal

Each ore mined without Silk Touch drops coal, the standard early-game fuel and torch ingredient.

Furnace

Smelt the ore block itself into coal—useful when Silk Touch brings the block home.

Torch

The dropped coal combines with sticks to light up mines and bases.

Coal Ore FAQ

What is the item ID for Coal Ore?

The item ID for Coal Ore is minecraft:coal_ore. Java Edition commands such as /give, /clear, and /setblock use this namespaced ID.

What is the numerical ID for Coal Ore?

Coal Ore has the historical numerical ID 16, used in Java Edition 1.12.2 and earlier. Current versions use minecraft:coal_ore instead.

How do I give myself Coal Ore in Minecraft?

Open the chat window and run /give @p minecraft:coal_ore 1 to give the nearest player one Coal Ore. Replace @p with a player name to target someone else.

How many Coal Ore can stack in one slot?

Coal Ore stacks up to 64 per inventory slot.