The following is a real-world coinage system that used copper, silver, and gold coins but was still simpler than the amazingly diverse English system. It's the original US coin system, as authorized in 1792 in the first authorization of a US-minted currency. It is not a medieval system by any stretch of the imagination, but it fits the vanilla and no spice D&D paradigm better than would a good medieval fit. It's for an economy where people had gotten used to using coin (although barter was still done on the frontier). Likewise, people insisted that the copper coinage be "full-bodied" (have as much copper as necessary to be "inherently worth" the nominal value).
"Diameter" is in inches.
"Per Pound" is count of coins of that denomination per US pound weight (not Troy pound weight).
"Per Inch" is count of coins that would be stacked to come close to an inch in stack height.
When this system was in use, some typical prices were as follows:
This was out on the frontier of Indiana territory.
Code:
Name Value Metal Purity Diameter Per Pound Per Inch
half cent 0.005 Copper 100% 0.925 53 12
cent 0.01 Copper 100% 1.142 27 9
half disme 0.05 Silver 89% 0.650 337 42
disme 0.1 Silver 89% 0.748 168 28
quarter dollar 0.25 Silver 89% 1.083 67 23
half dollar 0.5 Silver 89% 1.280 34 16
dollar 1 Silver 89% 1.555 17 12
quarter eagle 2.5 Gold 92% 0.811 104 36
half eagle 5 Gold 92% 0.984 52 26
eagle 10 Gold 92% 1.299 26 23"Diameter" is in inches.
"Per Pound" is count of coins of that denomination per US pound weight (not Troy pound weight).
"Per Inch" is count of coins that would be stacked to come close to an inch in stack height.
When this system was in use, some typical prices were as follows:
Code:
deerskins, 3 1.00
bearskin 1.50
otter skin 2.00
mink skin 0.25
mare 25.00
flour, lb 0.03
corn, bu 0.25
whiskey, gal 1.50
keg, empty 1.00
moccasins 0.50
chocolate, lb 6.00
Tea, lb 27.00
pepper, lb 8.00
tobacco, 1lb 0.25
shotgun 11.00
tin kettle 1.25
tin pan 0.25This was out on the frontier of Indiana territory.
