Re: Coinage Postfest: Wildspace Trader Coins

In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Wed 27 Apr, Night_Druid wrote:
>     I really didn't plan this one...it just popped up in my head about an
> hour ago :)  So what the heck, why not?
>
>
>
> Wildspace Trader Coins
>
>
>
> Origin of the Mint: Centuries ago, several wildspace-based trading companies
> adopted a standard system of coinage for trading with one another.  The
> trading companies commissioned the dwarven citadel Samryn'xunder to craft
> the coins in great quantities.  The citadel, which changes spheres from time
> to time, is the source of all Wildspace Trader Coins.
>
>
>
> Description of the Coins: Trader Coins are minted in copper, silver, gold,
> electrum, and platinum standards.
[snip]

This all sounds quite reasonable, but, what is the purity of the
metal in these coins? Are they milled?

The reason so much real world coinage was regarded as suspect,
was that it was of uncertain purity, or, without milled edges it
was possible to clip them, without it being easily obvious.

Some mints varied the copper content of their silver coinage
quite a lot, or the silver content of their gold coinage.

Now, it is possible that this dwarven mint is highly trusted, and
is in fact trustworthy, as far as metal purity is concerned. But
it doesn't say whether the coins are milled.


One good reason given for mixed metal coinage is that it is
harder wearing, in common usage, but if you can't be sure what
the mix is...

In the final analysis, consistency is what people want from
coinage, so you've got a reliable basis on which to trade.


Should we just assume 99% pure metal whenever someone says
coinage is of a particular metal, for simplicity sake?

--
Dreamer
dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk
http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/