Forum > Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion
Game units of measurement
Mishihari:
I'd count that as a plus. If a government is the only one that the method to refine the metals used in coins, then they're very difficult to counterfeit.
Charon's Little Helper:
--- Quote from: Mishihari on December 01, 2021, 02:23:50 PM ---I'd count that as a plus. If a government is the only one that the method to refine the metals used in coins, then they're very difficult to counterfeit.
--- End quote ---
If the value of the coin is based purely on the metal (as opposed to modern fiat currency) then that's largely moot. The empire doesn't care if people make "fake" gold coins so long as they're actually gold.
Historically the issue with counter-fitting would be someone making a coin only partly gold. Such as an alloy or plated - or just a hair smaller.
Heck, the reason that many coins (in the US - quarters & dimes) have the serrated edge is tradition from when it was used to prevent 'clipping' where people would cut off a tiny piece of a silver or gold coin. They would spend it normally at full value and then still have a tiny slice of silver or gold.
Platinum would probably be a poor coin due to how close it looks to silver. You can tell with a bit of examination, but do you want to have to examine each coin closely to be sure? And if platinum is so valuable, many wouldn't have ever seen it before and think you're trying to BS them with silver.
You would want all of your coinage metal to both look distinct from each-other and not have any other cheaper metals which look too similar.
Shasarak:
--- Quote from: Ghostmaker on December 01, 2021, 09:06:22 AM ---
--- Quote from: Omega on December 01, 2021, 08:36:31 AM ---I played around with some odd coinage ideas like Tin or Brass coins as those metals have been in use a long long time. And Aluminum or even Titanium as coins.
At a playtesters suggestion I also tinkered with gems as a monetary type. Someone else suggested wooden coins.
--- End quote ---
The problem with using aluminum or titanium is that they're a stone bitch to refine in a fantasy setting, outside of using magic. It wasn't until the advent of the Hall–Héroult process in 1886 that refining aluminum became (relatively) easier.
Suddenly Dragonlance's steel coinage looks downright normal by comparison. :D
--- End quote ---
They could possibly use Uranium Elementals as power sources.
Ghostmaker:
--- Quote from: Mishihari on December 01, 2021, 02:23:50 PM ---I'd count that as a plus. If a government is the only one that the method to refine the metals used in coins, then they're very difficult to counterfeit.
--- End quote ---
That's a good point, actually. Coins made from a process and material that can't easily be duplicated would be very useful as a currency.
--- Quote from: Shasarak on December 01, 2021, 03:04:20 PM ---
--- Quote from: Ghostmaker on December 01, 2021, 09:06:22 AM ---
--- Quote from: Omega on December 01, 2021, 08:36:31 AM ---I played around with some odd coinage ideas like Tin or Brass coins as those metals have been in use a long long time. And Aluminum or even Titanium as coins.
At a playtesters suggestion I also tinkered with gems as a monetary type. Someone else suggested wooden coins.
--- End quote ---
The problem with using aluminum or titanium is that they're a stone bitch to refine in a fantasy setting, outside of using magic. It wasn't until the advent of the Hall–Héroult process in 1886 that refining aluminum became (relatively) easier.
Suddenly Dragonlance's steel coinage looks downright normal by comparison. :D
--- End quote ---
They could possibly use Uranium Elementals as power sources.
--- End quote ---
Very distasteful. Do you not know the classical elements are classics for a reason? :D
Pat
BANNED:
--- Quote from: Ghostmaker on December 01, 2021, 03:36:24 PM ---
--- Quote from: Mishihari on December 01, 2021, 02:23:50 PM ---I'd count that as a plus. If a government is the only one that the method to refine the metals used in coins, then they're very difficult to counterfeit.
--- End quote ---
That's a good point, actually. Coins made from a process and material that can't easily be duplicated would be very useful as a currency.
--- End quote ---
Only for someone who's worldview is distorted by living in a world of fiat currency.
Historically, the value of gold was based on weight and purity, not whose head was stamped on a disc. That's the virtue of commodity money, and why it makes sense to measure gold coins in fantasy games by weight. If you have a chest full of 10 pounds of gold, that tells you everything you need to know about how much treasure you have. The type of coin and even the count just becomes flavor.
The main reason why some coins were preferred over others in the past was trust. If the country who minted a particular coin put in protections like ridges to make filing or other cheats obvious, was known for not debasing their coins (diluting the gold with some less valuable metal), and aggressively went after counterfeiters, a random merchant was more likely to accept the coin because it was a safe bet that the coin was was worth its face value. Otherwise, merchants would have to test the purity, check to see if the coins were just plated, weigh them, and so on. From a game standpoint, you could roll to see if a batch of coins were debased, plated, or whatever; and then have another roll to appraise their true value. Certain well regarded types of coin would be highly reliable, while others would be more suspect, and unknown coins would be unknowns until verified.
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