[maximara]

Originally Posted by johndallman

I have seen commodity prices fall in fantasy games when huge amounts of a formerly rare material became available. In both cases, the new material was easy to recognise, and was treated as worth less than the usual type, although it was just as useful. Essentially, the price fell to the value implied by its usefulness, with no premium for rarity.

But what in a TL3-4^ is the value of gold in term of usefulness? In one of Rocky and Bullwinkle's Fractured Fairy tales King Midas tricks everyone into believing he can turn things into gold (using a gold paint) and so devalues gold that his nation abandons gold and uses turnips instead - making him the poorest man in his own kingdom.

Common magic, especially GURPS magic, plays havoc with economies as certain goods can be produced at a far faster rate than available until TL5.