Coins
Put them all in pocket one.There are few things as common as coins, and interestingly there are many complex aspects to them many go through life unaware of. Kingdoms in eras long forgotten developed coins to replace a barter system, often made to be tokens of more common material such as wood or bone. Coins made of metal began to be developed as metalworking became more common, and more understood, though different cultures adapted them in a variety of ways. Human and dwarven kingdoms tend to be the ones which most heavily rely on them, and a variety of shapes and metals have been used over time. The most common tend to be copper, silver, and gold; naturally, these are made by mixtures of metals so the softer metals are harder and less likely to be damaged or defaced by simple wear.
Move them as you have your fun.
The Crest, when meeting someone new.
The Knight, as all your chores are through.
Gryphon, for giving unrewarded aid.
(That means you don't get paid!)
For the gods to smile on your way.
Just do these things every day.
The most commonly distributed coins currently are those minted by the Rhyliss Imperium. These include the copper 'Crest' (named for having two sides bearing the empire's crest), the silver 'Knight' (one face showing a mounted warrior with a spear), and the gold 'Gryphon' (using the heraldic device of the Rhyliss Imperium). Less circulated is the platinum 'Sun' (bearing a twelve-pointed sunburst on one face), and the special jade-embedded 'Hands' coin (with one face depicting two hands shaking) has been slowly phased out over the last decade. Despite this, the Hands are still accepted as currency by many, though Imperial moneychangers actually over-exchange slightly for them to help remove them from circulation.
Common Coins
Commonly used coins use alloy mixtures of copper, silver, gold to create the basic framework of denominations. The smaller portion of the alloy ratio is usually whatever metals are commonly capable of being used, with this often being dependent on the major metal of the coin. Copper pieces are usually the lowest value, while gold pieces are the highest, each one kept within the same dimensions to make the crafting process easier. Not all coins are developed round, as different cultures and kingdoms have used square or rectangular shapes. Some elven realms even mint coins in the form of leaves, with the denominations taking a more complex pattern based on the type of leaf as well as the material.Exotic Coins
More uncommon metals have been used over the ages, including two which bear mentioning. Platinum has been used at various times as the highest denomination, and has largely been adopted as a means of trading large sums of money with as little weight as possible. Adventurers prize platinum pieces, since they still retain this position in the Rhyliss Imperium despite being minted much more scarcely. A second metal of older origin is called "electrum", an alloy of equal measures silver and copper used during ancient kingdoms. Generally this denomination was between silver and gold, and would vary wildly in exactly what the exchange was. With the 'electrum piece' having fallen out of use before the Imperium's founding, it retains some value due to the content of silver and copper, yet it's only grudgingly accepted at a rate of roughly five silver pieces.Elves and dwarves have made objects the size of coins which appear differently to what humans consider. Elves have the leaf coins, but also winding twists of both copper and silver called "vines" colloquially. These tend to share the same value as electrum, but only to elven traders. Dwarves have made the highest denomination be mithril pieces, above platinum, though this is because they are far easier to craft from reclaimed mithril goods and represent large sums. Secondarily, there once existed a dwarven coin called the "Dvaln" which was a gold coin inlaid with obsidian and had a square hole punched through the middle. This replaced the gold piece for the height of the clan's power, but was not readily accepted in human realms due to the relative weight of gold being substandard to human gold pieces.
Defunct Coins
Ancient kingdoms would use whatever materials they had to make coins, with metal being one of the choices following the development of metalsmithing as a craft. Before that, and for a period after, coins were made from slices of bone, stone, clay, wood, or other hard materials. Once metalsmithing was understood, coins were commonly made of metals available at the time. It was not uncommon for some denominations to be changed to use iron, bronze, brass, or even steel. Naturally enough, none of these hold any value any longer except to collectors of curiosities.Manufacturing process
There are three major processes used over the ages, each using their own tools and methods. First there was casting coins by pouring molten metal into a mold and allowing them to set properly. This technique only requires a crucible to melt the metal, and a proper mold for the coin. These molds last slightly longer than other methods, due to the fairly low punishment they undertake. Casting coins is a relatively slow method of making them, requiring patience to get it right, and may suffer from imperfections more often. Dwarven kingdoms tend to still use this method, setting aside large areas to cool the molds between batches of metal.
The next step was striking coins, which was a very different method. It starts with coin blanks, which are simply round pieces of metal blank on both sides. The other necessary component, the coin die, is in two parts. These are metal parts with the inverse of whatever pattern is needed to be struck onto the coins, set above and below the coin blank. The final ingredient is pressure to push the dies into the coin blank, through either hand-hammering or mechanisms to drop weight or press the dies together just the right amount. Hand-hammering is the slowest method, and the most prone to irregular results, yet requires the least amount of equipment to undertake. Drop-striking has developed into the "goblin fall-press", which simply lifts a heavy piece of metal or dense stone to strike the dies together through dropping it. The name supposedly came about as a derisive comment about being "so easy to operate, even a goblin could do it", which stuck.
The most advanced method, one currently employed by the Rhyliss Imperium, is a gnomish contraption called the "gnomish water-press". It uses a closed loop of water flow to turn a water wheel, which in turn lifts the weight for a die strike. The time between strikes is long enough for a minder to remove the struck coin and replace it before the next strike. This operation can allow for a continual process, interrupted only to replace parts being worn out. The gnomish water-press has also been modified to allow for cutting the blanks, rendering the process quite quick to turn metal from raw material to coins. Despite this, the Imperium only authorizes new printings once per year at the most, more often the time is every three years.
Beyond this, many other methods have been explored yet are not in widespread use. Only one method is forbidden in a general sense, and that is to duplicate coins through magical means. The reason for this is quite simple, as such a spell could very quickly render coins worthless through vast quantities existing in an area. This method invariably is attempted by the less-scrupulous, yet arcane energies linger on these "sorcery-struck" coins and render it easy to detect. Divine magic is not suitable for this process, as most deities avoid such actions, but it has not been unheard of through the years. In these cases, the coins are quite indistinguishable from normal coins afer a period of time, yet the required power to call a deity for this purpose is a rare power indeed. Most times a priest would rather use the power for other tasks more useful for their churches or allies than to simply create wealth.
The next step was striking coins, which was a very different method. It starts with coin blanks, which are simply round pieces of metal blank on both sides. The other necessary component, the coin die, is in two parts. These are metal parts with the inverse of whatever pattern is needed to be struck onto the coins, set above and below the coin blank. The final ingredient is pressure to push the dies into the coin blank, through either hand-hammering or mechanisms to drop weight or press the dies together just the right amount. Hand-hammering is the slowest method, and the most prone to irregular results, yet requires the least amount of equipment to undertake. Drop-striking has developed into the "goblin fall-press", which simply lifts a heavy piece of metal or dense stone to strike the dies together through dropping it. The name supposedly came about as a derisive comment about being "so easy to operate, even a goblin could do it", which stuck.
The most advanced method, one currently employed by the Rhyliss Imperium, is a gnomish contraption called the "gnomish water-press". It uses a closed loop of water flow to turn a water wheel, which in turn lifts the weight for a die strike. The time between strikes is long enough for a minder to remove the struck coin and replace it before the next strike. This operation can allow for a continual process, interrupted only to replace parts being worn out. The gnomish water-press has also been modified to allow for cutting the blanks, rendering the process quite quick to turn metal from raw material to coins. Despite this, the Imperium only authorizes new printings once per year at the most, more often the time is every three years.
Beyond this, many other methods have been explored yet are not in widespread use. Only one method is forbidden in a general sense, and that is to duplicate coins through magical means. The reason for this is quite simple, as such a spell could very quickly render coins worthless through vast quantities existing in an area. This method invariably is attempted by the less-scrupulous, yet arcane energies linger on these "sorcery-struck" coins and render it easy to detect. Divine magic is not suitable for this process, as most deities avoid such actions, but it has not been unheard of through the years. In these cases, the coins are quite indistinguishable from normal coins afer a period of time, yet the required power to call a deity for this purpose is a rare power indeed. Most times a priest would rather use the power for other tasks more useful for their churches or allies than to simply create wealth.
Significance
Most places which make coins attach a value to them, usually in increasing magnitudes of value from copper to gold. Often the coins bear the symbol or crest of the issuing authority on one side and the other something of cultural significance. Sometimes this is a carving of an individual's profile or an object, and through the time of a kingdom these images may change for each denomination of coin without altering the basic value. Due to this, some coins may be unrecognzied in the present day, yet their value is derived from the precious metals used to make them more than the authority behind their design.
Occasionally a special event may be commemorated with unique coins given out to those involved, to remember it by. The standard rules do not necessarily apply, with these coins being made of any particular material deemed suitable. While there is some value to them due to whatever precious metal is in them, they're often referred to as "tokens" instead. These have been made from other materials such as ceramic, steel, mithril, orichalcum or even adamantine. At one time these tokens are instead symbols of official authority and function as seals, though this became less common as signet rings became more popular.
Occasionally a special event may be commemorated with unique coins given out to those involved, to remember it by. The standard rules do not necessarily apply, with these coins being made of any particular material deemed suitable. While there is some value to them due to whatever precious metal is in them, they're often referred to as "tokens" instead. These have been made from other materials such as ceramic, steel, mithril, orichalcum or even adamantine. At one time these tokens are instead symbols of official authority and function as seals, though this became less common as signet rings became more popular.
Table of Contents
Weight
16 per pound
Dimensions
1.5 inches diameter
Base Price
- 'Crest': 1 cp
- 'Knight': 1 sp or 10 cp
- 'Gryphon': 1 gp or 10 sp
- 'Sun': 1 pp or 10 gp
- 'Hands': 5 gp
Raw materials & Components
- Copper (8:2 ratio)
- Silver (8:2 ratio)
- Gold (7:3 ratio)
- Platinum (7:3 ratio)
Tools
Casting
- Crucible
- Coin Mold
- Coin Blanks
- Coin Dies
- Smithing Hammer
- Coin Blanks
- Coin Dies
- Goblin Fall-Press
or Gnomish Water-Press
Comments