Change Variable of Instantiated Prefab?

Unity Engine
1

I am trying to instantiate a prefab then access its script and change a variable.
Basically when I kill my monster he instantiates a gold prefab and sets the gold amount based on the monster.
I cant seem to get it to work though I keep getting an error:
Object Reference not set to an instance of an object
at this line

 script.goldamount = 10;

This is my code:

	if (curhealth < 1){
		var thegold = Instantiate(carrygold, transform.position, Quaternion.identity);
		var script : gold;
		script = thegold.GetComponent("gold");
		script.goldamount = 10;
		Destroy (gameObject);
	}

im really not sure what I am doing wrong ive searched through tons of threads and cant find an answer how to change a variable of instantiated prefab.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

Edit: I thought it could be because the script is in a child of the prefab that I was trying to access so I tried:

		var thegold = Instantiate(carrygold, transform.position, Quaternion.identity);
		var script2 : gold;
		script2 = thegold.GetComponentInChildren("gold");
		script2.goldamount = 10;

and still didnt work so I tried:

		var thegold = Instantiate(carrygold, transform.position, Quaternion.identity);
		var script2 : gold;
		go = thegold.transform;
		script2 = go.GetComponentInChildren("gold");
		script2.goldamount = 10;

and still got the same error that I just did:
Method not found ‘UnityEngine.Transfomr.GetComponentInChildren’

2

The compiler is guessing the you want the thegold value as a Transform. To make it use a GameObject, you just need to set the type of the variable explicitly:-

var thegold: GameObject = Instantiate(carrygold, transform.position, Quaternion.identity);

The reason for the error is that GetComponentInChildren is a function of the GameObject class, not Transform.

3

When I try that Andeeee I get an error:
Cannot cast from source type to destination type.

4

In that case, it would appear that carrygold is not a GameObject. What type of asset is it (texture, script…)?

5

It is a prefab.
Top of script I put
var carrygold: Transform;
and in inspector linked my gold prefab to it.

6

What does the gold prefab contain?