Coinage in your Games?
- Thread starter Mark
- Start date
It's just gp, sp, cp, and the occasional pp to us.
However, there have been occassions on which such coinage was found, but I told them it was foreign/ancient currency, to provide clues. Most of the time, it just doesn't matter, as the setting is a borderland (Bissel) between three large cultural areas with three dominant mints (Keoland, Furyondy, and Zeif).
However, there have been occassions on which such coinage was found, but I told them it was foreign/ancient currency, to provide clues. Most of the time, it just doesn't matter, as the setting is a borderland (Bissel) between three large cultural areas with three dominant mints (Keoland, Furyondy, and Zeif).
Jack99
Adventurer
Ditto
Ditto as well. Except my players have now done this 3 campaigns in a row. Each time I tell them what they missed out on, the "duh" grows louder. Maybe next campaign.
evilbob
Adventurer
Ditto this. We keep track of gold only; all other coins are too much hassle. We also don't really keep track of the weight of coins, but honestly by the time that matters we usually have a bag of holding anyway. Sometimes we find gems or something, but those are pretty much just treated like gold.
In sum: we tend to ignore it.
Ydars
Explorer
I once used different coins for each realm as an integral part of the stories I used to tell. Haven't for a while, but that is just because I haven't tried to tell that type of story for a while. Varied coinage for its own sake is pointless; if it has no effect on a story, then why have it?
For example, in one game, actually using heavily house-ruled Palladium, the land the PCs had to enter, had a hatred of foreigners because of their lack of "proper religion". One instrument of state control was through money-changing; you had to get the coin you wanted to spend in this realm at a island outside the realm and once you had spent it all, you had to leave. Coin from outsiders was worthless and money-changing within the realm was illegal. This lead to some interesting side-treks where the PCs were forced to deal with some very dubious characters to get more coin.
Later, one of the sub-realms of this religious country tried to cede from the parent nation because of the unfair exchange rates the authorities were charging outsiders, effectively making their goods much more expensive (to try and crush all trade with the outside world). This was done as a punishment, because of a religious schism, and in the end lead to a civil war that was a major backdrop to the campaign.
A second example is the use of different types of coin to enforce taxes. In the old days of BECMI, I used the fact that coin dragged out of dungeons was usually minted centuries ago, as a way of rulers keeping on top of PCs paying taxes; any obviously ancient coins were counted and the ruler demanded 10% of all plundered gold. This would annoy the PCs but we had great fun when they decided to smuggle the gold home, melt it down and recast it into ingots. There was then the fun of forging dies to make counterfeit coins (though they were actually of greater value than the real currency because the players didn't know how much the ruler had adulterated the metal in his coins).
Having said this, coinage is just one of the many tiny elements I have used to build up a sense of vermisilitude in various games; it is never a major thing that I make any point about, just something in the background that can be used to thwart PCs who try to avoid the checks and balances of the game and to give them something apart from killing things, to worry about and to generate microstories from.
For example, in one game, actually using heavily house-ruled Palladium, the land the PCs had to enter, had a hatred of foreigners because of their lack of "proper religion". One instrument of state control was through money-changing; you had to get the coin you wanted to spend in this realm at a island outside the realm and once you had spent it all, you had to leave. Coin from outsiders was worthless and money-changing within the realm was illegal. This lead to some interesting side-treks where the PCs were forced to deal with some very dubious characters to get more coin.
Later, one of the sub-realms of this religious country tried to cede from the parent nation because of the unfair exchange rates the authorities were charging outsiders, effectively making their goods much more expensive (to try and crush all trade with the outside world). This was done as a punishment, because of a religious schism, and in the end lead to a civil war that was a major backdrop to the campaign.
A second example is the use of different types of coin to enforce taxes. In the old days of BECMI, I used the fact that coin dragged out of dungeons was usually minted centuries ago, as a way of rulers keeping on top of PCs paying taxes; any obviously ancient coins were counted and the ruler demanded 10% of all plundered gold. This would annoy the PCs but we had great fun when they decided to smuggle the gold home, melt it down and recast it into ingots. There was then the fun of forging dies to make counterfeit coins (though they were actually of greater value than the real currency because the players didn't know how much the ruler had adulterated the metal in his coins).
Having said this, coinage is just one of the many tiny elements I have used to build up a sense of vermisilitude in various games; it is never a major thing that I make any point about, just something in the background that can be used to thwart PCs who try to avoid the checks and balances of the game and to give them something apart from killing things, to worry about and to generate microstories from.
Last edited:
Gilladian
Adventurer
Here's a link to my coinage info: Vishteer Campaign / MiraborianCoinage
Essentially, I have some special names and shapes for coins, and I run on a silver standard instead of gold, so the silver penny is the commonest coin used in daily adventurer spending. Common citizens are far more familiar with the copper centime.
It has mattered a few times; I enjoy describing the acient coinage, and at least once it has allowed PCs to figure out that something was REALLY old as the coins predated anything they recognized. Also, the whole "you must trade your foriegn coinage at registered locations" has been fun a time or two. Like when they crashed their airship in a very isolationist country and nearly got thrown in jail for "bad money" passing.
But, just like using lots of languages and dialects, a little goes a long way.
Essentially, I have some special names and shapes for coins, and I run on a silver standard instead of gold, so the silver penny is the commonest coin used in daily adventurer spending. Common citizens are far more familiar with the copper centime.
It has mattered a few times; I enjoy describing the acient coinage, and at least once it has allowed PCs to figure out that something was REALLY old as the coins predated anything they recognized. Also, the whole "you must trade your foriegn coinage at registered locations" has been fun a time or two. Like when they crashed their airship in a very isolationist country and nearly got thrown in jail for "bad money" passing.
But, just like using lots of languages and dialects, a little goes a long way.
CharlesRyan
Adventurer
My campaign is set in medieval Europe, so I'm dealing with slightly abstracted real-world denominations. Mostly the silver penny (or denier or denarius).
In my world (as in the real world) every kingdom, if not duchy and county, mints its own coin. Values are generally compatible, but coin in one realm is not generally spendable in another. In other words, if you have 300dn from Brabant, it's still worth 300dn when you travel to Aquitaine. But you'll have to get the coins changed or you may have trouble spending it.
This isn't completely accurate: In the real world, due to differing silver content, 300dn from Brabant might only fetch you 280dn in Aquitaine (or whatever). But that's more fiddly than I want to deal with. I like the story element of having to deal with currency compatibility; I don't like the maths and charts of having to deal with minor differences in value.
(An aside: The interesting thing about the medieval system is that, ignoring half-pennies and farthings (which are about as relevant to adventurers as D&D's copper pieces), the penny is really the only coin. The other denominations (shillings and pounds) are just amounts, not actual coins. (A pound is, literally, a pound. A pound of silver.)
(An exception to that: My players have recently had their first encounter with the new coin the Italian merchant states have started minting: the gold grosso, or groat. Worth 12 shillings, or over half a pound of silver. Never thought I'd see players eyes so wide over a bag of a couple hundred gold pieces!))
Bottom line: Yes, different coinage is relevant in my game, but only insofar as it serves the story. Where the coin comes from matters within the game world, but whether or not getting coins changes is an issue for the players depends on whether I want it to be.
In my world (as in the real world) every kingdom, if not duchy and county, mints its own coin. Values are generally compatible, but coin in one realm is not generally spendable in another. In other words, if you have 300dn from Brabant, it's still worth 300dn when you travel to Aquitaine. But you'll have to get the coins changed or you may have trouble spending it.
This isn't completely accurate: In the real world, due to differing silver content, 300dn from Brabant might only fetch you 280dn in Aquitaine (or whatever). But that's more fiddly than I want to deal with. I like the story element of having to deal with currency compatibility; I don't like the maths and charts of having to deal with minor differences in value.
(An aside: The interesting thing about the medieval system is that, ignoring half-pennies and farthings (which are about as relevant to adventurers as D&D's copper pieces), the penny is really the only coin. The other denominations (shillings and pounds) are just amounts, not actual coins. (A pound is, literally, a pound. A pound of silver.)
(An exception to that: My players have recently had their first encounter with the new coin the Italian merchant states have started minting: the gold grosso, or groat. Worth 12 shillings, or over half a pound of silver. Never thought I'd see players eyes so wide over a bag of a couple hundred gold pieces!))
Bottom line: Yes, different coinage is relevant in my game, but only insofar as it serves the story. Where the coin comes from matters within the game world, but whether or not getting coins changes is an issue for the players depends on whether I want it to be.
Ed_Laprade
Adventurer
We've used various methods, from straight medieval to straight CP, SP, GP. Generally, its been agreed that the simpler form is the best. Coin changing wastes more time than its worth, like haggling for every little thing in a shop. Some people love it, others hate it. We have done it and and have found we prefer not to. We've used ancient coins that are more valuable than normal too, and found that its fun if not used too often.
Fallen Seraph
First Post
In most of my campaigns treasure, quest rewards, etc. isn't that big of a deal so keeping track of coins isn't the most important thing. So I have been pondering going with a simple story-influenced Resource mechanic, sorta like the Resource mechanic from WoD.
Basically it would go that the amount of points in it (up to 5) is how much money/resources you have to spend. It assumes you have enough resources in whatever means to survive, but things like staying in inns, buying various things, etc. are dependent on your level of Resources. So a fancy inn to have enough money you would need Resource 3 for instance.
Just makes it easier to track, since all you need to do is compare numbers. As such too things like various types of coinage, etc. aren't that important.
Basically it would go that the amount of points in it (up to 5) is how much money/resources you have to spend. It assumes you have enough resources in whatever means to survive, but things like staying in inns, buying various things, etc. are dependent on your level of Resources. So a fancy inn to have enough money you would need Resource 3 for instance.
Just makes it easier to track, since all you need to do is compare numbers. As such too things like various types of coinage, etc. aren't that important.
Similar Threads
Recent & Upcoming Releases
-
June 16 2026 -
June 16 2026 -
September 16 2026 
Arcana Unleashed(Dungeons & Dragons)
Rulebook featuring "high magic" options, including a host of new spells.
Replies (181) -
September 16 2026 -
October 1 2026 -
October 6 2026 -
January 1 2027
