The Guilder

The guilder is a now-defunct gold coin (worth 2gp) originally minted by the Kingdom of Ardrigh. Traditionally, a tavern prostitute wears her (or his) "price" as a pendant of a necklace, and the guilder was the most common price worn. The practice still persists, and many guilders that still exist are kept for this purpose. The coin was decreed to be removed from circulation some centuries ago by the King (disagreement persists as to which King made the decree) at the insistence of his Queen, as she despised the idea of prostitution. Whether this story is true is sometimes debated, but is the most commonly given reason, even by moneychangers and coin minters.

The practice of prostitutes wearing their price is believed to have begun by serving maids who became tired of being propositioned, and began wearing the most expensive jewel or coin they could manage to afford or borrow. As the value of a guilder is a full-day's wage for a skilled artisan, only the wealthiest of men would make such an offer. As the practice began to spread, those who would sell their bodies for a price began to take up the practice as well, often for much less than a guilder. Over time, only those who openly wore such a necklace would be propositioned, and wearing a guilder became a sign that the wearer would willingly negotiate.

While it cannot be said with any certainly when the practice of wearing your price began, it would have to have begun early in the first century of the Third Era, as the earliest known instance of the Ballad of Bridget, Breeze, & Bree was recorded in 107 3E, which says Bree removed her necklace, and stating that "today she was free", showing that the practice was known then.

The guilder was still being minted as late as the fourth century of the Third Era, as numerous accounts exist of them being minted to pay Court Wizards from the Guild Arcanum (the Guild was established in 392 3E). No official decree exists in the Royal Register officially banning the guilder from being minted, but a copy of Trade Practices on the Ovent (inscribed 513 3E) lists a table of official currencies for Ardrigh, Sandalwrin, Carpidim, the North Country, and the Orent; and the guilder is not listed. It is listed as a trade item, and mentions that it was an Ardrighen coin, but is no longer minted. The book states "the Guilder is of coin gold, equal in purity to the Crown, Quid, & Guinea; and superior to the Tun; but no longer used". The Quid (North Country), Guinea (Sandalwrin), and Tun (Orent) are officially minted coins of their respective nations.