Hey y'all. :)
Some people like a lot of options when it comes to a monetary system in-game. I admit, I'm one such person.
To that end I thought I might post a monetary system that I like to use for your consideration.
Iron Piece (ip), 20 coins = 01 lb (100=5lbs), 10ip = 01tp
Tin Piece (tp), 30 coins = 01 lb (100=3.33lbs), 10tp = 01cp
Copper Piece (cp), 24 coins = 01 lb (100=4.17lbs), 10cp = 01bp
Bronze Piece (bp), 24 coins = 01 lb (100=4.17lbs), 10bp = 01sp
Silver Piece (sp), 24 coins = 01 lb (100=4.17lbs), 10sp = 01pp
Platinum Piece (pp), 20 coins = 01 lb (100=5lbs), 05pp = 01gp
Gold Piece (gp), 16 coins = 01 lb (100=6.25lbs), 100gp = 01mp
Mithril Piece (mp), 20 coins = 01 lb (100=5lbs)
1mp =100gp
1mp =500pp
1mp =1,000sp
1mp =10,000bp
1mp =100,000cp
1mp =1,000,000tp
1mp =10,000,000ip
*All coins are 1/16th' thick, 3/4' in diameter (the size of a U.S. dime) and are round.
BareBones Fantasy RPG is not associated with Skaldcrow Games' Bare Bones Multiverse, despite similar names. Check out Glenn's products by clicking here.
Is there even such a thing as iron and tin money?
"I'd like that piece of candy. The marble-sized red one."
"Okay, that will be 500 tin pieces."
"1...2...3...4...5...[elapsed time]...211...212... ... ...oh man, I lost count. Let me start over."
Many cultures in the past have used such metals as currency actually. :) Scotland used nails as currency at one point - ancient Greece minted iron coins - Africa has used such metals as well and in some places, still does - ancient Southeast Asia used to shape tin into small animals and use them as coins.
So, to answer the question: Yup. :)
Why bother with metal in the first place? Do like Canada in the old days and use beavers as the currency standard.
Oh absolutely. Of course that can be carried over to all manner of things - seashells, plumage, honey, salt. There's all manner of stuff that has been used as money. Would be pretty cool to RP in a setting that used that sort of stuff for money. :D
Coin of the realm
• There are copper, silver, and Gold pennies.
• Peasants use the copper penny.
• Merchants use the silver penny.
• Nobles use the gold penny.
• As characters will interact with merchants the settings standard coin of the campaign is the silver penny.
• Their are 240 pennies per pound.
• A pound of copper is worth 2.4 silver pennies.
• A pound of silver is worth 240 silver pennies.
• A pound of gold is worth 4800 silver pennies
• It takes 100 copper pennies to equal a silver penny.
• It takes 20 silver pennies to equal a gold penny.
• 100 copper = 1 silver = 1/20 gold.
• 2,000 copper = 20 silver = 1 gold.
My head hurts.
I guess you can simplify it to:
[1] Silver is the standard and replaces gold values
[2] 240 coins are in a pound
[3] Copper coins are worth 1/100 of a silver or 1/10,000 of a gold
[4] Silver coins are worth 100 copper or 1/100 of a gold
[5] Gold coins are worth 10,000 copper or 100 silver
Hey no worries there Ascent. :D Such details aren't for everyone, and I wouldn't dream of twisting the arm of someone who didn't want to use such a system; but options are always nice to consider right?
I'm one of those people that really likes such details - Role Master is still one of my all time favorite RPGs. Thousands of spells? Love it! Lots of coins in your monetary system? Awesome! A different chart for each weapon? Sweet! Yeah, you get the picture. But just because that stuff is really cool to me, doesn't mean it is for everyone. The cool thing about options though is that you can keep the ones you like and discard the ones you don't.
Ten (10) D&D coins to the pound is rather ludicrous. Switching the numbers up to 16-30 coins to the pound is an improvement.
Evidently England had 240 silver coins in a pound. I have suggested switching to 200 coins in a pound in order to keep things math simple to a DM in the past.
Check out these pictures!
http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=monterstreasure&action=displa...
That is a pretty cool link Darkrose! Good info, thanx for digging it up! :D
Here's an interesting article on the silver standard in D&D. I've done it in my games, and it works very well!
Delta's DND: On Money
Tower of the Archmage article
Also, check out Dragon #74 for the original article, if so inclined.
The very best supply book of all time, And A 10 Foot Pole, uses tin pieces and the like. Absolutely brilliant book.
I'm from Canada and i'll have you know that 2 copies of BBF + 1 copy of KK cost me 2 beavers and a quart of maple syrup. It takes a little longer for paypal to process my transaction because the beavers keep trying to escape and the maple syrup gets sticky, but it's still an honourable form of currency...just a little difficult to keep in your wallet.
I'm from Canada and i'll have you know that 2 copies of BBF + 1 copy of KK cost me 2 beavers and a quart of maple syrup. It takes a little longer for paypal to process my transaction because the beavers keep trying to escape and the maple syrup gets sticky, but it's still an honourable form of currency...just a little difficult to keep in your wallet.
Delta's DND: On Money
That was a very interesting read (at least, to me :). I was noting in the comments section that the 1gp=1xp issue came up. I never did like that particular rule and never allowed it in any game I've ever GMed that had it. Anyway, thanx for the link Zachary!
@Skathros:
LOL! :)
Delta's DND: On Money
Tower of the Archmage article
Also, check out Dragon #74 for the original article, if so inclined.
The very best supply book of all time, And A 10 Foot Pole, uses tin pieces and the like. Absolutely brilliant book.
Dragon 74 download.
I'm from Canada and i'll have you know that 2 copies of BBF + 1 copy of KK cost me 2 beavers and a quart of maple syrup. It takes a little longer for paypal to process my transaction because the beavers keep trying to escape and the maple syrup gets sticky, but it's still an honourable form of currency...just a little difficult to keep in your wallet.
2 Made Beavers and 1.136 litres of maple syrup. A fair price I'd say. But you didn't include the full moose and a half for shipping. You're better off doing what I did... Dogsled up to the Friendly Local Hudson's Bay Factory in Fort Albany and trade your furs there.
Larry: Hey Bill, Skathros' payment came in.
Bill: Oh, crap!
Larry: Here's your beaver and your share of the maple syrup.
Bill:: Not again! Larry, we need to talk!
Larry, trying to remove sticky syrup from hands: What's up?
Bill:What's up??? Larry, I've got a refrigerator full of beavers! There's maple syrup all over my keyboard! The letter "B" on my keyboard is stuck with that sticky canadian crap! You know what my next adventure is gonna be called, Larry? "Retri_ution of the _lack Knight: A _are_ones Fantasy adventure!" I'm going back to writting Star Frontiers stuff...there's no "B" in Star Frontiers!
Larry: Okay, okay! Point taken. From now on BBF will be available everywhere...except canada.
Bill: Thank you.
Larry: Hey, Bill...want some maple syrup? It good!
Bill beats Larry with a refrigerated beaver!
HAHAHA!
Bill just became _ill. Get it?
Oh nevermind.
Comedy Gold eh? :D
Which brings us back to currency again, oddly enough...