Coinage of Faerun [Archive] - Wizards Community

Coinage of Faerun [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Laszlo Koller
10-21-03, 09:15 PM I know that the FRCS has a partial listing of some of the most well-known coins of the Forgotten Realms; however, I'm trying to get a more complete list compiled.

Specifically, I'm looking for the names of (by country/region):
- copper pieces
- silver pieces
- gold pieces
- platinum pieces
- other (local) coins

So far, I've been able to compile the following Coins of the Forgotten Realms (http://faerun.sageanalytic.com/Coins.asp).

If any of this information is incorrect, then please let me know. Also, I'm hoping some Realms enthusiasts can go back into your older FR supplements to harvest this information.

Please include your source, if you post something.

Thanks!
Teluvor
10-22-03, 01:55 AM Well I'll be...
This is great stuff, Laszlo! It's something I've been planning to do for quite some time now, but never really found the time for.
I'll see if I can add something, but at a first glance, you already have more than I could find...
Thanks for the link - I'm definitely going to use this stuff!
FineasBoggs
10-22-03, 03:06 AM You really need Forgotten Realms Adventures. It has a great section on coins of the realms. For instance, I noticed you are missing the electrum coin, which might have been done away with in 3rd edition, meaning they aren't in production anymore( I despise the whole notion that it never existed simply because you have a new group of designers.)

Called blue eyes thoughout the heartlands of the realms. Cormyan eyes are round, diamond shaped Sembian electrums, Calimshite tazos and zonths and Amnite centaurs. Silverymoon's moon, is worth 2 electrum pieces inside the city and the normal value everywhere else.
FineasBoggs
10-22-03, 03:20 AM While I have it out:

Coppers:
The most common and least valuable of the various coins, copper coins are known as coppers, copper pieces, or copper thumbs ( the last is of Cormyan origin). Sembia released a square iron coin called the steelpense which is similar in value to the copper. Several coins are used among barbarian tribes which are chips of bone, also values as the copper. Southern city states have all stamped a number of copper coins( unarches, radas, niftens, and spanners from Calimshan, and fanders from Amn).
Lashan
10-22-03, 07:17 AM I'm curious where you got the names for monies from the Vast. I'm wondering if this is the names in Ravens Bluff or the entire Vast. I am thinking that it is only Ravens Bluff, but am open to ideas.
FineasBoggs
10-22-03, 11:25 AM It's all from ADVENTURES. That was just the copper and electrum section. There was more but some of the ones you already had and I didn't have the time to compare and see what was missing.
Lashan
10-22-03, 01:12 PM I was referring to Laszlo Koller's post and link to the spread sheet. In this spreadsheet, he refers to coins from "the Vast" labeled a certain way.
Masakado
10-22-03, 01:15 PM The info from the FR Adventures book was reprinted online.

I save the link for emergencies like this one:

http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~leirbakk/rpg/adnd/equipment/adnd_equipment_moneyart.html
Iakhovas
10-22-03, 07:07 PM 3rd-Edition didn't do away with electrum coins. They are just considered non-standard currency now (ie. trade bars and the like). Of note though, the primary currency of Halruaa *is* an electrum coin (due to the large number of naturally occuring electrum deposits in the region).
Tai Khan
10-23-03, 05:41 AM I have a question regarding the naming of coins and their use in your campaigns. I totally like the fact that the realms people have give different nations' coinage different names, its something of a relief in this day and age of "the crunchy." But it has been my experience that when I start a new FR campaign with my group, we try to do such things as use the different slang terms for coins and other things to give the campaign more feel, however this is usually throne out the window within the first two game sessions due to the simplicity of saying "I give the guard a bribe of 10 gold pieces" rather than "gold dragons" and we long ago gave up trying to keep the coins separated on our group treasure sheet. So by the second game session we are all saying, gold pieces, silver pieces, etc.
Have any of you ever consistently used the realms names for the coins or do yall fall back into the "gold pieces" terminology also?
Masakado
10-23-03, 07:24 AM I am sad to say that I keep track of the mint of the coin treasure that I dole out, especially the worthless stuff.

If you're players are getting out of hand, nothing says "punishment" like changing the treasure coin from silvers to steelpense. :smirk:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Laszlo Koller 10-21-03, 09:15 PM	I know that the FRCS has a partial listing of some of the most well-known coins of the Forgotten Realms; however, I'm trying to get a more complete list compiled. Specifically, I'm looking for the names of (by country/region): - copper pieces - silver pieces - gold pieces - platinum pieces - other (local) coins So far, I've been able to compile the following Coins of the Forgotten Realms (http://faerun.sageanalytic.com/Coins.asp). If any of this information is incorrect, then please let me know. Also, I'm hoping some Realms enthusiasts can go back into your older FR supplements to harvest this information. Please include your source, if you post something. Thanks!
Teluvor 10-22-03, 01:55 AM	Well I'll be... This is great stuff, Laszlo! It's something I've been planning to do for quite some time now, but never really found the time for. I'll see if I can add something, but at a first glance, you already have more than I could find... Thanks for the link - I'm definitely going to use this stuff!
FineasBoggs 10-22-03, 03:06 AM	You really need Forgotten Realms Adventures. It has a great section on coins of the realms. For instance, I noticed you are missing the electrum coin, which might have been done away with in 3rd edition, meaning they aren't in production anymore( I despise the whole notion that it never existed simply because you have a new group of designers.) Called blue eyes thoughout the heartlands of the realms. Cormyan eyes are round, diamond shaped Sembian electrums, Calimshite tazos and zonths and Amnite centaurs. Silverymoon's moon, is worth 2 electrum pieces inside the city and the normal value everywhere else.
FineasBoggs 10-22-03, 03:20 AM	While I have it out: Coppers: The most common and least valuable of the various coins, copper coins are known as coppers, copper pieces, or copper thumbs ( the last is of Cormyan origin). Sembia released a square iron coin called the steelpense which is similar in value to the copper. Several coins are used among barbarian tribes which are chips of bone, also values as the copper. Southern city states have all stamped a number of copper coins( unarches, radas, niftens, and spanners from Calimshan, and fanders from Amn).
Lashan 10-22-03, 07:17 AM	I'm curious where you got the names for monies from the Vast. I'm wondering if this is the names in Ravens Bluff or the entire Vast. I am thinking that it is only Ravens Bluff, but am open to ideas.
FineasBoggs 10-22-03, 11:25 AM	It's all from ADVENTURES. That was just the copper and electrum section. There was more but some of the ones you already had and I didn't have the time to compare and see what was missing.
Lashan 10-22-03, 01:12 PM	I was referring to Laszlo Koller's post and link to the spread sheet. In this spreadsheet, he refers to coins from "the Vast" labeled a certain way.
Masakado 10-22-03, 01:15 PM	The info from the FR Adventures book was reprinted online. I save the link for emergencies like this one: http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~leirbakk/rpg/adnd/equipment/adnd_equipment_moneyart.html
Iakhovas 10-22-03, 07:07 PM	3rd-Edition didn't do away with electrum coins. They are just considered non-standard currency now (ie. trade bars and the like). Of note though, the primary currency of Halruaa is an electrum coin (due to the large number of naturally occuring electrum deposits in the region).
Tai Khan 10-23-03, 05:41 AM	I have a question regarding the naming of coins and their use in your campaigns. I totally like the fact that the realms people have give different nations' coinage different names, its something of a relief in this day and age of "the crunchy." But it has been my experience that when I start a new FR campaign with my group, we try to do such things as use the different slang terms for coins and other things to give the campaign more feel, however this is usually throne out the window within the first two game sessions due to the simplicity of saying "I give the guard a bribe of 10 gold pieces" rather than "gold dragons" and we long ago gave up trying to keep the coins separated on our group treasure sheet. So by the second game session we are all saying, gold pieces, silver pieces, etc. Have any of you ever consistently used the realms names for the coins or do yall fall back into the "gold pieces" terminology also?
Masakado 10-23-03, 07:24 AM	I am sad to say that I keep track of the mint of the coin treasure that I dole out, especially the worthless stuff. If you're players are getting out of hand, nothing says "punishment" like changing the treasure coin from silvers to steelpense. :smirk: