The Arrowhead Currency Of Novus Tiro

"The Arrowhead Currency Of Novus Tiro"

History And Origin

The currency of Novus Tiro, initially began as actual stone arrowheads that later became copper, bronze, iron, and finally steel arrowheads (as their metallurgy advanced), that were used to barter goods and services. Considered to be one of the oldest human settlements, founded only a few generations after their subjugation by the Goliaths ended. The people known as “The Vustir” banded together in the deep pine forests of the land, where they could find shelter and resources helping them to survive. With no formal government and no form of currency, the people used a bartering system to trade goods and services that they could not produce themselves. One common item that all families needed was the arrowhead. It allowed them to hunt for meat and hides, offered effective defense at a distance, and indirectly brought shelter. While not everyone could create sharp and balanced arrowheads, all children could help find the flint and chert stones, others processed bindings from animals, shaped arrows, gathered feathers, wove bowstrings, and made bows, others learned the basics of knapping stones and various skills related to the building of bows and arrows. Either directly or indirectly, a great amount of the community’s time was interwoven into the web of bow and arrow production and acquisition. Foods, goods, and services were quite often bartered around this central item that provided security, freedom, and resources for the community.

As time progressed, stone arrowheads transitioned into sharper and more durable copper, which developed into bronze arrowheads, they in turn became iron, and finally steel arrowheads. As their knowledge of metallurgy advanced, and their numbers grew, so too did their ideas of society and organization. During this time, “The Vustir” people founded a central city called “Vustiro”, that later became their capital city, and several smaller outlying villages in their newly created country that became known as “Vustir”. In honor of their history and reliance on the arrowheads, the first ruling council created their official currency in the shaped of arrowheads. On one side is a large raised “V” with the year, and on the reverse is either 1, 5, or 10 arrowheads, indicating the value it represents. Theses first coins are said to have been made of copper, silver, and a copper/silver alloy. Where a copper arrowhead was worth 1 cp, a copper/silver alloy worth 5 cp, and a silver worth 10 cp.

Few of these early coins remain today, as most were stolen or destroyed by the rampaging dragons during the time that has come to be known as “The Dragostation”. Despite the dark times, the resilient people once again banded together and rebuilt their shattered nation, rebranding it "Novus Tiro". The new ruling council created new currency, but again honored their heritage, modeling the new coins after arrowhead shapes once again.

Modern Currency

The arrowhead shaped currency of Novus Tiro comes in four main denominations, gold, silver, iron, and copper. All four are of the same size, about an inch and a half long, with slightly different thicknesses and weights due to the density differences of the metals. All coins bear the insignia of the ruling council of Novus Tiro, along with the year, and country’s name on top, and the phrase “Esto Perpetua” (Let it be forever) along the bottom. The depiction on the reverse for each coin is different and contains an image of historical importance.

The gold currency, known as a “Gold Head”, has a raised depiction of three arrows in flight, representing the people’s readiness and willingness to fight for their deities, country, and fellow man. It is made from a mixture of 50% gold and 50% silver and appears as a light colored or whitish gold. Due to the mixing of materials a single coin is valued at 1/2 gp, 5 sp, or 50 cp, in other countries that accept them.

The silver currency, known as a “Silver Head”, has a raised depiction of an unfinished brick wall, representing the rebuilding of the country after its devastation by the dragons so long ago. It is made out of refined silver and is generally the standard form of transaction of Novus Tiro. As such they are unsurprisingly valued at 1 sp or 10 cp. Aged “Silver Heads” tend to acquire black lines in between the bricks, that make them stand out even more.

The iron currency, known as an “Iron Head”, has a raised depiction of a hammer above an anvil and a sword below the anvil, representing how the coin can be traded in directly to blacksmiths, for the manufacture of other goods and weapons. It is made from processed iron, that has been coated in a protective substance in order to prevent oxidation. This substance coincidently coats the metal in a red veneer. This has led to further nicknames such as “Red Heads”, “Reddies”, “Blood Heads”, and “Bloodies”. Theses coins are most often traded in to blacksmiths, in order to forge iron and steel materials, tools, and weapons. A single coin is valued at 1/2 sp or 5 cp.

The copper currency, known as a “Copper Head” or simply called a “Copp” has a depiction of a large pine tree, representing the protection and resources obtained from the pine forest, after the people’s freedom from the Goliaths. It is made from pure copper, that is treated with a protective coating in order to prevent tarnishing and turning green. The very old “Copps” that have lost their protective coating and have turned a green color are referred to as a “Green Head”. The “Green Heads” tend to be disliked and avoided by the populace, but they still hold their equivalent value of 1 cp at any government bank. Many merchants look down at them as a sign of poverty, thinking that the owner must not work enough to acquire and spend the coins and must use them sparingly. A few others, mostly children, see them as having an added life like color to the raised tree, depicted on the coin. A common thought among them, is to try and rub away the protective coating on just the tree, so that it attains a green color for its evergreen branches. Most people get a laugh out of them, after flipping over a shiny copper side to see the surprising green tree on the other side. There is no stigma attached to these variant coins and more and more people prefer them to the originals. The government banks readily accept the “Green Heads”, melt them down, and reform them as brand new “Copper Heads” once a year, this in turn makes old, shiny, “Copper Heads” rarer and rarer to find.

Item type

Currency & Deeds