diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/wallet/ecash.rs b/core/archipelago/src/wallet/ecash.rs
index c374ee3f..30fa5871 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/wallet/ecash.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/wallet/ecash.rs
@@ -1040,6 +1040,12 @@ pub async fn receive_token(data_dir: &Path, token_str: &str) -> Result<u64> {
 
     let mut wallet = load_wallet(data_dir).await?;
     let mut received_total = 0u64;
+    // MintClient translates the mint's NUT error code into plain language and
+    // puts it at the top of the error chain (see `mint_error` in
+    // mint_client.rs); `{}` surfaces that, `{:#}` keeps the raw status/body
+    // for the log. Remember the last one so a total failure can tell the user
+    // *why* instead of just "nothing was received".
+    let mut last_reason: Option<String> = None;
 
     // Swap proofs at each mint
     for entry in &token.token {
@@ -1051,14 +1057,18 @@ pub async fn receive_token(data_dir: &Path, token_str: &str) -> Result<u64> {
                 received_total += amount;
             }
             Err(e) => {
-                warn!("Failed to swap proofs from mint {}: {}", entry.mint, e);
+                warn!("Failed to swap proofs from mint {}: {:#}", entry.mint, e);
+                last_reason = Some(e.to_string());
                 // Continue with other mints if any
             }
         }
     }
 
     if received_total == 0 {
-        anyhow::bail!("Failed to receive any proofs from token");
+        match last_reason {
+            Some(reason) => anyhow::bail!("Could not receive this ecash: {}", reason),
+            None => anyhow::bail!("Failed to receive any proofs from token"),
+        }
     }
 
     wallet.record_tx(
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/wallet/mint_client.rs b/core/archipelago/src/wallet/mint_client.rs
index 3347137d..e92a6374 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/wallet/mint_client.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/wallet/mint_client.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,72 @@ pub struct MintResult {
     pub proofs: Vec<Proof>,
 }
 
+/// Translate a Cashu NUT "transaction validation" error code into plain
+/// language a wallet user can act on. Mints respond to a rejected request
+/// with `{"code": N, "detail": "..."}`; `detail` is implementation-defined
+/// free text, but `code` is the stable identifier from the spec
+/// (https://github.com/cashubtc/nuts/blob/main/error_codes.md). Covers the
+/// 10001-11017 "proof/transaction validation" range plus the 12001-12003
+/// keyset codes shared by NUT-02/03/04/05 — the codes a swap/melt/mint call
+/// can actually hit. Returns `None` for anything else (e.g. Lightning/quote
+/// codes in the 20000s) so the caller falls back to the mint's own `detail`.
+fn describe_mint_error_code(code: i64) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    Some(match code {
+        10001 => "The mint rejected these coins as invalid.",
+        11001 => "This ecash has already been redeemed — it can't be claimed twice.",
+        11002 => "This ecash is already being redeemed elsewhere — try again in a moment.",
+        11003 => "The mint already issued new coins for this exact request — there's nothing left to redeem.",
+        11004 => "This request is still being processed by the mint — try again in a moment.",
+        11005 => "The token's amounts don't add up (inputs don't match outputs) — it may be corrupt.",
+        11006 => "That amount is outside the range this mint allows.",
+        11007 => "This token contains duplicate coins — it may be corrupt or already used.",
+        11008 => "The mint rejected this as a duplicate request.",
+        11009 | 11010 => "This token mixes incompatible currency units — the mint rejected it.",
+        11011 => "That Lightning invoice has no amount, which isn't supported here.",
+        11012 => "The amount requested doesn't match the Lightning invoice.",
+        11013 => "The mint doesn't support this currency unit.",
+        11014 | 11015 => "This token has too many coins for the mint to process in one request.",
+        11016 => "Duplicate quote IDs were sent in this request.",
+        11017 => "Too many items were sent in a single request.",
+        12001 => "The mint no longer recognizes the keyset that signed this token.",
+        12002 => "The mint's signing key for this token is inactive.",
+        12003 => "The mint's signing key for this token has expired.",
+        _ => return None,
+    })
+}
+
+/// Parse a mint's error body (`{"code": N, "detail": "..."}`) and pick the
+/// best user-facing message: the plain-language translation when we know the
+/// code, otherwise the mint's own `detail` text, otherwise the raw body.
+fn describe_mint_error_body(status: reqwest::StatusCode, body: &str) -> String {
+    let parsed: Option<serde_json::Value> = serde_json::from_str(body).ok();
+    let code = parsed
+        .as_ref()
+        .and_then(|v| v.get("code"))
+        .and_then(|c| c.as_i64());
+    let detail = parsed
+        .as_ref()
+        .and_then(|v| v.get("detail"))
+        .and_then(|d| d.as_str());
+
+    if let Some(friendly) = code.and_then(describe_mint_error_code) {
+        return friendly.to_string();
+    }
+    match detail {
+        Some(d) if !d.is_empty() => d.to_string(),
+        _ => format!("mint returned {} with no further detail", status),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Build the error for a failed mint HTTP call: `op` + status + raw body as
+/// the technical cause (visible via `{:#}` in logs), with the plain-language
+/// translation layered on top via `.context()` so `{}` — what reaches the
+/// wallet user — shows something actionable instead of raw mint JSON.
+fn mint_error(op: &str, status: reqwest::StatusCode, body: &str) -> anyhow::Error {
+    let friendly = describe_mint_error_body(status, body);
+    anyhow::anyhow!("{} failed ({}): {}", op, status, body).context(friendly)
+}
+
 /// HTTP client for a single Cashu mint.
 pub struct MintClient {
     url: String,
@@ -146,7 +212,7 @@ impl MintClient {
         if !res.status().is_success() {
             let status = res.status();
             let body = res.text().await.unwrap_or_default();
-            anyhow::bail!("Mint quote failed ({}): {}", status, body);
+            return Err(mint_error("Mint quote", status, &body));
         }
 
         res.json().await.context("Failed to parse mint quote")
@@ -212,7 +278,7 @@ impl MintClient {
         if !res.status().is_success() {
             let status = res.status();
             let body = res.text().await.unwrap_or_default();
-            anyhow::bail!("Mint tokens failed ({}): {}", status, body);
+            return Err(mint_error("Minting tokens", status, &body));
         }
 
         let body: serde_json::Value = res.json().await.context("Failed to parse mint response")?;
@@ -266,7 +332,7 @@ impl MintClient {
         if !res.status().is_success() {
             let status = res.status();
             let body = res.text().await.unwrap_or_default();
-            anyhow::bail!("Melt quote failed ({}): {}", status, body);
+            return Err(mint_error("Melt quote", status, &body));
         }
 
         res.json().await.context("Failed to parse melt quote")
@@ -293,7 +359,7 @@ impl MintClient {
         if !res.status().is_success() {
             let status = res.status();
             let body = res.text().await.unwrap_or_default();
-            anyhow::bail!("Melt failed ({}): {}", status, body);
+            return Err(mint_error("Melt", status, &body));
         }
 
         res.json().await.context("Failed to parse melt response")
@@ -337,7 +403,7 @@ impl MintClient {
         if !res.status().is_success() {
             let status = res.status();
             let body = res.text().await.unwrap_or_default();
-            anyhow::bail!("Swap failed ({}): {}", status, body);
+            return Err(mint_error("Swap", status, &body));
         }
 
         let body: serde_json::Value = res.json().await.context("Failed to parse swap response")?;