Cold Hard Cash: The Currency of the Lands

Lesson 4
Cold Hard Cash: The Currency of the Lands

The common currency used is mostly minted coins, the known lands having agreed on a common currency setup seeing how most nations in Verdania all grew from each other. Of the first nation was Dantania, then Damocles and Axius and later on Terangoth, Roshack and so forth. Due to this, they were able to establish a currency system which was fairly consistent over the years.

All currency is minted by it's own nation, usually with it's own mined metals used in the making of such coins. Each nation decides how much of the mined metal to set aside for currency minting, usually depending on the nation's own economic health and other currently available resources. For example, the Damocles Empire has a plentiful amount of platinum, gold and silver mines therefore much of it's iron production is instead sold onto the open market or instead used for weapon production.

Money is earned, found, stolen and acquired through all means. Some covet it greatly while others could care less. Some are born poor and others are wealthy. Usually a money changer exists in each town, charging just %30 of the amount he is changing over. For example if you were to exchange 2 platinum into silver, the cost would be 100 silver and you would get 1,900 silver. This does not apply in Damocles cities however, where all money exchanges occur through a bank and the bank is wealthy enough to do so without placing an extra charge. Any currency that is foreign and not recognized by the majority of nations can be exchanged at a bank for it's assumed value with a %20 deduction. Meaning any silver from Krynn would be gauged for how close to silver it was here. In this case we shall assume the bag of 200 silver, each coin has %60 as much silver in it as a normal coin of the realm placing the bag's worth at 120 silver. After that %20 is taken as a fee, leaving the person with 96 Imperian silver coins.

Such foreign coins are heavily taxed for a public and a private reason. The public reason is to prevent a saturation of the market of some dragon bringing in a vast hoarde of coins from a world unheard of. The private reason is to aid the Damocles Empire in learning of new realms and worlds by the presence of new and unusual currency. If a large amount from a new world appears over a great period of time then usually the matter is investigated by the Damocles Empire. It's cause of these reasons that the normal Imperian uses coins of recongized nations. A current list of such recongized nations are: All nations in the Verdania region, Verax, Galadornis, Kardius & Nore Quendrin.

In a move that has caused some controversy, Shadow Knight coinage and currency is also recognized but if some shopkeepers refuse it then it is for the matter of principle and not about the coins worth. The Shadow Knight Empire has a very strong economy and a lot of it's coins are currently in circulation on Imperia. Due to this the sight of any Shadow Knight coins is not an unusual one and are of equal worth to their Imperian counterparts.

Another indication of a nation's wealth and economic health is the amount of quartz veins and deposits in their land. It is said that one pound of good, pure quartz is worth 300 silver on the open market and several nations have gone to war to claim this valuable resource. Quartz is used in magical technology however the type used is of a lower purity level than the Quartz kept as a currency backer. Still quartz's worth is really based on the power the nation would gain from having such a deposit as it could propel them into the magi-tech age. The prosperity of Damocles is said to be mainly due to the high amount of quartz deposits found within it's territory more than it's own military strength.

Iron (IP)	Iron is the lowest form of currency, often with the only practical purpose being in the bazaar or marketplace in the area of single purchase goods, such as a small bead necklace or a single apple. However, in rural areas or financially handicapped areas, this, and other forms of coin below silver, may be the primary currency used. Unrefined iron is brittle and Iron coins are thick to combat this. They appear as solid black coins in an eight sided octagonal shape.
10 Iron Coins = 1 Copper Coin
25 Iron Coins = 1 Bronze Coin
100 Iron Coins = 1 Silver Coin
1,000 Iron Coins = 1 Electrum Coin
10,000 Iron Coins = 1 Gold Coin
100,000 Iron Coins = 1 Platinum Coin

Copper (CP)	Copper coins are a bit more common and accent iron coins in their usefulness. Copper coins are a kind of "tarnished gold" in color and the standard shape being a square.
1 Copper Coin = 10 Iron Coins
5 Copper Coins = 2 Bronze Coins
10 Copper Coins = 1 Silver Coin
100 Copper Coins = 1 Electrum Coin
1,000 Copper Coins = 1 Gold Coin
10,000 Copper Coins = 1 Platinum Coin

Bronze (BP)	Like copper, Bronze coins are often used in change for small purchases, accenting silver coins most frequently. They are a lighter color than copper, being a polished brass in color and an equal lateral triangular shape.
1 Bronze Coin = 25 Iron Coins
2 Bronze Coins = 5 Copper Coins
4 Bronze Coins = 1 Silver Coin
40 Bronze Coins = 1 Electrum Coin
400 Bronze Coins = 1 Gold Coin
4,000 Bronze Coins = 1 Platinum Coin

Silver (SP)	Silver coins are by far the most widely used, being akin to a dollar today. Also, most prices for consumer goods are listed in silver in such a way that the word "silver" has become ubiquitous to "one unit of currency." In other words, even though it would be, theoretically easier to list a price as three Electrum, it will be more likely to see it listed as simply "30$" in most cases, the letter S meaning silver, with a straight vertical line drawn through it. Silver are most commonly circular coins.
1 Silver Coin = 100 Iron Coins
1 Silver Coin = 10 Copper Coins
1 Silver Coin = 4 Bronze Coins
10 Silver Coins = 1 Electrum Coin
100 Silver Coins = 1 Gold Coin
1,000 Silver Coins = 1 Platinum Coin

Electrum (EP)	Electrum coins are produced by mixing molten gold and silver together and have a light creamy gold color, are circular like silver coins. Electrum is used to make larger purchases, such as shoes or books.
1 Electrum Coin = 1,000 Iron Coins
1 Electrum Coin = 100 Copper Coins
1 Electrum Coin = 40 Bronze Coins
1 Electrum Coin = 10 Silver Coins
10 Electrum Coins = 1 Gold Coin
100 Electrum Coins = 1 Platinum Coin

Gold (GP)	Gold pieces are a rather uncommon coin with most citizens but the upper class, being worth one hundred silver pieces. They are oval shaped coins. Gold is used to make even larger purchases, like kegs of ale or fancy articles of clothing. These are rarely accepted in taverns, rural areas, or poorer countries.
1 Gold Coin = 10,000 Iron Coins
1 Gold Coin = 1,000 Copper Coins
1 Gold Coin = 400 Bronze Coins
1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coins
1 Gold Coin = 10 Electrum Coins
10 Gold Coins = 1 Platinum Coin

Platinum (PP)	The rarest coins of all are Platinum pieces, and are almost always rejected by shop owners and inn keepers because it is so difficult to make change for them, being worth one thousand silver pieces. Their only real practical use lies in the purchase of airships or perhaps contracting the construction of a whole castle. The metal is in fact so rare that none is wasted in the center, being more like flat rings or washers.
1 Platinum Coin = 100,000 Iron Coins
1 Platinum Coin = 10,000 Copper Coins
1 Platinum Coin = 4,000 Bronze Coins
1 Platinum Coin = 1,000 Silver Coins
1 Platinum Coin = 100 Electrum Coins
1 Platinum Coin = 10 Gold Coins

Money is coveted by many on this world as it is on other worlds and there is much to be had for those extremely wealthy. However those of great wealth are also targeted by thieves and other contemptible beings. But just how much can a silver get you? Those answers and many more are yet to come.

OOC Note

Several players refer to AD&D documentation to check the price of several items so provided below is an AD&D/Imperia conversion table.

AD&D 3rd Edition Currency	Imperia Currency
1 Copper piece	1 Copper Coin
1 Gold piece	1 Electrum Coin