Alternate Dungeon Fantasy Currency

[Christopher R. Rice]

Folks,

The title says it all. I'm wondering what sort of currency systems you've used in your campaigns, created, etc. for Dungeon Fantasy. I'm contemplating a system that uses precious stones vs. coinage, but I'd like to see what others think.

Thanks to all who answer!

[PseudoFenton]

Heh, I've made a few - sufficient to say the simplest version is the one currently in use.

DF is not the place to get creative with coinage, money is money and if it starts being other things you throw the whole balance of "and take their stuff" out of whack.

Feel free to give alternatives to coinage, and different forms of consolidated wealth, hell even allow some interesting flavour or room for subtle tips - just don't mess too much with it - a $ must always be a $ and there must always be a means to convert everything into that unyielding representation of a $.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by PseudoFenton

Heh, I've made a few - sufficient to say the simplest version is the one currently in use.

DF is not the place to get creative with coinage, money is money and if it starts being other things you throw the whole balance of "and take their stuff" out of whack.

Feel free to give alternatives to coinage, and different forms of consolidated wealth, hell even allow some interesting flavour or room for subtle tips - just don't mess too much with it - a $ must always be a $ and there must always be a means to convert everything into that unyielding representation of a $.

Oh, I never say "It'll cost you 6 gold pieces" or whatever - that's annoying. It's always "That armor will cost you $480" and move on. I'm very pointedly running a more serious Dungeon Fantasy campaign then the series presents. My players are asking for this stuff - and I'm obliging. I've got a idea, I just want to see where other folks have gone.

[simply Nathan]

My usual monetary units are a copper coin the size of a U.S. quarter dollar being $1, a silver coin the size of a penny being $5, and a gold coin the size of a dime being $100. The copper coin is called a "Buck" because it has the image of a buck stamped on it (a buck of what animal varies from city state to city state), the silver coin is called a "Finn" because if has something with a fin on it (often a dolphin, sometimes a shark, sometimes something else). I don't have a catchy name for the gold pieces yet.

[Dwarf99]

In addition to the standard assumptions $1/$4/$80, I assume base coins are 100/lb, so gold and silver coins are about 40% pure. A sovereign is made of platinum (which is worth 30K/lb in my game) but is slightly more pure. It is worth $150 and is 50% pure. I also have a Pound coin worth a pound of pure silver, made from 40% gold that weighs 2 ounces.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Dwarf99

In addition to the standard assumptions $1/$4/$80, I assume base coins are 100/lb, so gold and silver coins are about 40% pure. A sovereign is made of platinum (which is worth 30K/lb in my game) but is slightly more pure. It is worth $150 and is 50% pure. I also have a Pound coin worth a pound of pure silver, made from 40% gold that weighs 2 ounces.

That's some heavily debased coinage you've got there.

Personally, my fantasy is not dungeon fantasy, but as my setting is heavily influenced by Elizabethan England, I follow their lead and use sterling silver for almost all of my coinage.

[woodchuck]

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

I don't have a catchy name for the gold pieces yet.

"Bird" because there's a picture of bird on the coins, "Talon" because the all the birds are raptors and therefore have talons or "Raptor" would work too.

[Dustin]

I've mostly run Hellenistic DF-style games for awhile, with drachmae standing in for GURPS $. When coin denominations come up (which isn't often), I use a copper or bronze chalkoi for small change (approx 2 cents), a tiny silver obol ($1/6), a chunky silver tetradrachm ($4), and a small gold stater ($20).

[Joe]

Originally Posted by woodchuck

"Bird" because there's a picture of bird on the coins, "Talon" because the all the birds are raptors and therefore have talons or "Raptor" would work too.

I vote for bird!

Evidently the characters in this campaign can already declare "I pay him 20 bucks" and still be using valid, world-appropriate lingo; this will allow them to declare "I flip him the bird", too.

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

My usual monetary units are a copper coin the size of a U.S. quarter dollar being $1, a silver coin the size of a penny being $5, and a gold coin the size of a dime being $100. The copper coin is called a "Buck" because it has the image of a buck stamped on it (a buck of what animal varies from city state to city state), the silver coin is called a "Finn" because if has something with a fin on it (often a dolphin, sometimes a shark, sometimes something else). I don't have a catchy name for the gold pieces yet.

Benjamin's! (baby)