User:Proton/Coinage
Revised coinage
- Silver pieces are the main unit of currency instead of gold pieces. All prices are adjusted accordingly.
- Examples: A longsword costs 15 silver, splint armor costs 2 pound (or 200 silver, or 20 gold), and a dagger costs 2 silver (or 20 copper).
- Copper coins can be physically subdivided into "bits" if needed (usually 10 to 1).
- Coins are 0.01 lb instead of 0.02 lb, but when dealing with sums of 50 or more coins, start counting in pounds of metal (should be easy, since 100 coins = 1 pound).
- The “1 lb. of copper,” “1 lb. of silver,” and “1 lb. of gold” entries on the Trade Goods table are specifically corrected to 10 sp, 100 sp, and 1,000 sp, respectively.
- Platinum and electrum aren't used in trade.
All revised coins are the diameter of a United States dime (0.705 in) and the weight of two (0.01 lb). Revised gold, silver, and copper coins are 0.73 mm, 1.35 mm, and 1.58 mm thick, respectively.
Athas coinage
All metals are worth more. Instead of gold pieces, ceramic pieces are the standard unit of currency, with "bits" being physically 1/10 of a ceramic piece. Platinum pieces and electrum pieces do not exist, and the remaining coins use the following exchange rates:
| Coin | bits | cp | sp | gp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bits (bits) | 1 | 1⁄10 | 1⁄100 | 1⁄1000 |
| Ceramic (cp) | 10 | 1 | 1⁄10 | 1⁄100 |
| Silver (sp) | 100 | 10 | 1 | 1⁄10 |
| Gold (gp) | 1000 | 100 | 10 | 1 |
After currency conversion, metal items are 100 times as expensive.
Examples: A non-metal longsword costs 15 ceramic pieces, while a metal longsword costs 1500 (or 150 silver pieces, or 15 gold pieces), a non-metal dagger costs 2 ceramic pieces (or 20 ceramic bits) and a metal dagger costs 200 ceramic pieces (or 20 silver pieces, or 2 gold pieces).
Coins aren't kept to a rigid standard, but on average all coins weigh 1⁄100 of a pound (2 United States dimes), with bits being 1⁄10 of that.
Also of note, the “1 lb. of copper,” “1 lb. of silver,” and “1 lb. of gold” entries on the Trade Goods table are specifically corrected to 100 cp, 1,000 cp, and 10,000 cp, respectively, while the “1 lb. of platinum” entry is removed.
Rice-based currency
The main unit of account is the "coin" (cn), worth 1 gp in standard D&D.
Noble units of account are represented by coinage (specie) while working units of account are represented by quantities of rice, or paper money representing such rice.
When traveling or doing business with outsiders, commoners typically exchange their rice or rice notes for ingots, coins, or nobles.
Artisans, adventurers, and nobles almost exclusively do business with metal. Commoners in their home environment hesitate to accept coinage, but most readily accept ingots.
| Name | Specie | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Pound (pd) | Noble (0.01 lb mithril) | 100 cn |
| Coin (cn) | Coin (0.01 lb silver) | 1 cn |
| Ingot (ng) | Ingot (0.1 lb iron) | 1⁄100 cn |
| Name | Rice | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Annum | 500 lb | 5 cn |
| Season | 100 lb | 1 cn |
| Diem | 1 27⁄73 lb | 1⁄73 cn |
| Serving | 20⁄73 lb | 1⁄365 cn |
Examples: A longsword costs 15 cn, splint armor costs 200 cn (or 2 pd), and a dagger costs 2 cn (or 200 ng).
Also of note, the “1 lb. of copper,” “1 lb. of silver,” and “1 lb. of gold” entries on the Trade Goods table are specifically corrected to 10 cn, 100 cn, and 1000 cn, respectively, while the “1 lb. of platinum” entry is replaced with “1 lb. of mithral” which is 10,000 cn.
History of the Pound Sterling
- 1066: Penny 1
- 1216 (+150): Halfpenny 0.5, farthing 0.25 (removed 1826)
- 1326 (+110): Halfgroat 2, groat 4
- 1485 (+159): Shilling/Testoon 12
William I, 1066
Sorts. These two kings coin’d no other money than the penny.
Weight. The pound weight at this time in use in the English mints, and which is suppos’d also to be the same as that us’d by the Saxons, was that call’d the Tower or Moneyers Pound, which consisted of 12 ounces, each of 20 pennyweights or 240 pennyweights; the first of which subdivisions was in use with the Romans, but the second introduced into France by Charlemagne; and from thence, as is suppos’d, brought into England by the Conqueror; but the penny itself would support an opinion of its being known here long before.
This pound contained 15 sixteenths of the pound Troy, or 11 ounces 5 pennyweights Troy, and therefore the pennyweight and penny, at this time, weighed 22 1⁄2 Troy grains.
Fineness. These pennies were made of mixed silver, one pound, or 12 ounces, of which contained 11 ounces two pennyweights of fine silver, and eighteen pennyweights of copper or alloy: and silver of this fineness, in the most early indenture of the mint, viz. that of 28 Edw. I. is called old standard, and in this sense only of the word standard we shall use it throughout this work, and it is the pound weight of this standard silver all our calculations are built upon.
Value. The Money Pound, or Pound Tale, consisted likewise of 240 pennies, that is, of 20 shillings, each of 12 pennies, and each of these pennies, at this time, poised a pennyweight of the Tower pound, and therefore 240 of them weighed the Tower pound; and consequently the pound tale of equal value with the pound weight.
John, 1199
Sorts. The first farthing and halfpenny we meet with, of any English monarch, are of this king, as No. 36. No 35. and No. 37. but it must be remembred that they are Irish, and that no English ones are to be found, in any cabinet, till those of Edward I.
Henry III, 1216
Sorts. In the records of the sixth year of this kind it appears, the halfpenny and farthing were then coined, but we have never been so fortunate as to see one of either sort, or to hear of any cabinet that can boast of being possess’d of either of them.
Weight. The penny, or Sterling, still weighs the pennyweight Tower, or 22 1⁄2 Troy grains.
Fineness. Standard, or Sterling, or 11 oz. 2 pennyweights fine silver, and 18 pennyweights alloy.
Value. The pound Sterling equal the pound weight Tower.
Edward I, 1272
Sorts. Besides the penny, collections now first exhibit the farthing, No. 1. and the halfpenny, No. 2, 3, 4. coin’d in an English mint, in the 7th of Edward I.
Number 10. is suppos’d to be a pattern for a larger sort of Coin than any then current, not nicely adjusted in its weight, so that those now remaining, by their weight are supposed to have been intended for three-penny, five-penny, or six-penny pieces, as well as groats; but we think they were design’d only for groats, altho’ impress’d on pieces of different weights, however that be the Coin now before us, upon the first supposition, claims that name; as it weighs 88 Troy grains, and its true weight, if coin’d before his 28th year, was 90, but if after his 28th year it was 88 8⁄9 Troy grains.
Weight. The money of Edward I. before his 28th year, weigh as all the former, that is the penny 22 1⁄2, the halfpenny 11 1⁄4, and the farthing 5 5⁄8 Troy grains, but afterwards 22 2⁄9, 11 1⁄9, 5 5⁄9.
Fineness. In the 28th of Edward I. an indented trial piece of the fineness of 11 oz. 2 dwt. of fine silver, and 18 dwt. of alloy, was lodged in the exchequer, and was, at that time, called the Old Standard, or that of the Old Sterlings.
Value. In the 28th of Edward I. the Tale Pound, or Pound Sterling, first began to differ or come short of the Pound weight Tower, from which it drew its origine; and to which until now it was equal, for by indenture of that year the pound weight was to contain twenty shillings and three-pence in Tale, that is 1 1⁄80 pounds sterling, by which means the pound sterling was reduced to 80⁄81 of a pound weight, or to 11 oz 17 1⁄27 dwt. Tower.
The pound weight being thus nominally increas’d 1⁄80, and the pound sterling as much debas’d, or 1 1⁄4 per cent.
Edward III, 1326
Sorts. The farthing, No. 11., halfpenny, No. 12. penny, No. 13. and after this 27th year the half groat, No. 14, and groat, No. 15. There is none but the penny of Durham, the half groat and groat of Calais, of York all but the farthing, and of London all.
Weight. Before his 18th year the farthing weighed 5 5⁄9, the halfpenny 11 1⁄9, the penny 22 2⁄9 Troy grains, from the 18th to the 20th year they were 5 1⁄16, 10 1⁄8, and 20 1⁄4; Troy grains, from the 20th to the 27th year they were 5, 10, and 20 Troy grains, and after his 27th year they were 4 1⁄2, 9 and 18, and the half groat and groat 36 and 72 Troy grains.
Fineness. Standard, or 11 oz 2 pennyweights fine silver, and 18 pennyweights alloy.
Value. In his 18th year the pound weight Tower, of standard silver, was to contain 22 shillings and two-pence in Tale, or 1 13⁄120 pound Sterling; therefore the pound Sterling reduced to 120⁄133 of a pound weight, or 10 oz. 16 72⁄133 dwt. Tower.
Which raised the pound weight nominally near 1⁄10, and debas’d the pound Sterling as much, or about 9 1⁄2 per cent.
By indenture of his 20th year the pound weight was to contain 22 shillings and six-pence in Tale, or 1 1⁄8 pound Sterling, therefore the pound Sterling reduced to 8⁄9 of a pound weight, or to 10 oz. 13 dwt. 8 grains Tower, which rais’d the pound weight nominally 2⁄133, and debas’d the pound Sterling as much or 1 1⁄2 per Cent.
Again, by indenture of his 27th year the pound weight was to contain 25 shillings in Tale, or 1 1⁄4 pound Sterling, and therefore the pound Sterling was now but 4⁄5 of the pound weight or 9 oz. 12 dwts. Tower.
And here the pound weight was raised 1⁄9, and the pound Sterling debas’d as much, or 11 1⁄9 per Cent.
Henry IV, V, VI, 1399, 1413, 1425
Sorts. Ditto.
Weight. Those of Henry IV. before his 13th year, the farthing weighs 4 1⁄2 gr. the halfpenny 9 gr. the penny 18 gr. the half groat 36 gr. and the groat 72 gr. Troy; between that and the 49 H. VI. which are those we have in common, they weigh 3 3⁄4 gr. 7 1⁄2 gr. 15 gr. 30 gr. and 60 grains Troy; those of 49 H. VI. are 3 gr. 6 gr. 12 gr. 24 gr. and 48 Troy grains.
Fineness. Ditto.
Value. By an act of 13 Henry IV. the pound weight of Standard silver was to contain thirty shillings in Tale, or 1 1⁄2 pound Sterling, therefore the pound Sterling reduced to 2⁄3 of a pound weight, or 8 oz. Tower.
By which the pound weight was nominally raised 1⁄5, and the pound Sterling debased in the same proportion, or 20 per Cent.
Edward IV, 1460
Sorts. Ditto.
Weight. Until his 4th year the farthing weighed 3 3⁄4 gr. the halfpenny 7 1⁄2 gr. the penny 15 gr. the half groat 30 gr. the groat 60 Troy grains, after his 4th year they weighed 3 gr. 6 gr. 12 gr. and 48 grains Troy.
Fineness. Ditto.
Value. By indenture of his 4th year, the pound weight of Standard silver to contain 37 shillings and six-pence, or 1 7⁄8 pound sterling, therefore the pound sterling reduced to 8⁄15 of a pound weight, or 6 oz. 8 dwt. Tower.
By which the pound weight was nominally rais’d 1⁄4, and the pound sterling debas’d as much, or 25 per cent.
Henry VII, 1485
Sorts. The farthing, the halfpenny, the penny, the half groat, the groat, and the shilling, this last sort now first coined, and of them but very few.
Weight. Both Coinages weight the same, that is, the farthing 3 gr. the halfpenny 6 gr. the penny 12 gr. the half groat 24 gr. the groat 48 gr. and the shilling 144 grains Troy.
Fineness. Ditto.
Value. Ditto.
Henry VIII, 1509
18th year
Sorts. Farthing removed in 18th year.
Weight. The pound weight Tower, which had been the only one used in the English mints since the Conquest, was laid aside in the 18th year of this king’s reign, and the pound Troy was introduced in its stead, being heavier by one fifteenth than the Tower pound.
The halfpenny weighs 5 1⁄3 gr. the penny 10 2⁄3 gr. the half groat 21 1⁄3 gr. and the groat 42 2⁄3 grains Troy.
Fineness. Ditto.
Value. One pound weight Troy of Standard Silver was to contain 45 shillings in Tale, or 2 1⁄4 pounds Sterling, which rais’d the said pound weight Troy nominally 1⁄8, for before the rise there was but two pound Tale, or Sterling, to the pound weight Troy, and the pound Sterling was but half the pound weight, or but 6 oz. Troy; but now being lessen’d 1⁄8 it became 4⁄9 of it, or 5 oz. 6 dwt. 16 gr. Troy.
From the 4th of Edward IV. till this rise, the pound weight Tower was equal to 1 7⁄8 pound Sterling, and the pound sterling but 8⁄15 of the pound weight Tower, but it is now rais’d to 2 7⁄64 pound Sterling, and the pound Sterling reduc’d to 64⁄135 of the pound weight Tower, or 5 oz. 13 dwt. 18 7⁄9 grains.
Had the pound weight not been changed, and 45 shillings cut out of the pound Tower, the rise would have been 1⁄5 instead of 1⁄8.
34th year
Weight. The farthing weighs 2 1⁄2 gr. the halfpenny 5 gr. the penny 10 gr. the half groat 20 gr. the groat 40 gr. and the testoon 120 grains Troy.
Fineness. Hitherto the pound Sterling had been lessen’d or debas’d seven different times from the Conquest; which was always done by lessening the weight each time, and leaving the fineness or standard untouch’d; but now we find not only the weight, but also the standard is altered from 11 1⁄10 oz. fine, and 9⁄10 oz. alloy, to 10 oz. fine and 2 oz. alloy: or a debasement of near 10 per cent.
Value. By indenture the pound weight Troy of silver 10 oz. fine was to contain 48 shillings in Tale, therefore the same pound weight of Standard, or of 11 1⁄10 oz. contains 53 7⁄25, which if 53 7⁄25 or 53 1⁄3 makes 2 2⁄3 pound Sterling in one pound Troy, and the pound Sterling now but 3⁄8 of the pound weight Troy, or 4 oz. 10 dwt. which was an advance of 17 ??⁄?? per cent.
By this means the pound weight Tower became nominally 2 1⁄2 pound Sterling, and the pound Sterling no more than 2⁄5 of the pound weight, or 4 oz. 16 dwt. Tower.