gold does not need much of other metals to make a strong coin alloy.
Moneyer and money
Now in the D&D world we have moneychangers. But how come no world has a moneyer? I have yet to see a profession list which does have a moneyer on it. Now we still have moneychangers today. Just go to some cities, which have international tourists. In Berlin, you could change dollars to, east marks, west marks, pounds, francs, and rubles. So exchanging that new found old money in for current city state coin is old hat for your average party, if the DM even worries about it.
But what is a moneyer? What does he do? How can you fit the position in your game?
A moneyer is expert craftsman who job is to create new coins from old or new coins from bullion. Other names for moneyer are coiner, and minter. The job has two parts, making the die and stamping and or casting the coin.
The die making process is very simple just requiring some blacksmithing and engraving skill. The basic process with some variation is as follows. First two rods are forge about six inches long. Polish smooth and flat one end of rod. Using small punches and other tools engrave and punch the design obverse (heads) into smooth polish edge. Repeat for reverse (tails) rod. Heat treat and temper design ends of the rods. The result is the working dies. The dies do not have to always be two rods with the reverse stuck into a hole in a stump. Some die of reverse could be a square chuck of metal with spike tail which is place in the hardy hole of anvils or drove into a stump. The face of square would have the design in center.
Dies depending on the country and time were limited in where they could be manufactured. However money could be minted in various locals. For example to change the current process of today in the United States the plates would be created at the mint but the regional federal banks would print dollars at their location. So in my neck of the woods the plates would be created in D.C. and shipped to Atlanta Ga. When the Atlanta bank needed more dollars, they would print their own.
Coin making process is simple but long. Old coins or bullion is collected and the amount received is noted. The coins and bullion are melted. The molten metal is poured in sheet forms. The sheet is cut into strips. Then using a punch or large snips the planchet is cut. Think of the planchet as token or slug. The planchet is then stamped. Since the die was generally oversized, the coin is trimmed. Think of the oversize like a penny is bigger than a dime, so the dies would be penny sized and coin trimmed down to dime size. The coin is weighted. More trimming may take place. If the coin weight was too low back, the coin goes back in melting pot. However not each individual piece was not generally weighted but it could be. Also various laws and tradition require the final product to be assay, however except for the annual Trail of Pyx, the coins were rarely assayed. The process was the same irregardless of the metal (silver or gold) struck.
The new coins, minus the moneyer’s cut and king’s cut, are return to the customer. The average percentage for the moneyer in England was six coins per pound or about one percent. The king’s cut varied but about six pennies per pound weight was the average. The money from moneyer’s cut had pay salaries and materials but generally was enough to be very profitable.
Some countries and people including the Celts cast their coins. I have not done any research on how the molds were made. However some planchets were cast in reusable molds. Take heavy duty crucible fill with scrap gold. Heat the crucible to pouring temperature, which is above the degree just to get the material to melt. Pour the liquid gold into a two part mold (think a fish sinker or bullet mold). Let cool. Open mold. Cut off flashing and return flashing to pot. Give planchet to striker.
Coins stayed in circulation long pass the time they were due to be turned in for reissue since the holder would lose face value due to debasing of coinage. Coins became worn either by normal wear or clipping. Clipping is not what gets your team a ten yard penalty during the Super Bowl. Clipping when it relates to coins is snipping a small amount from the coin. If you clip enough coins you can melt the scraps into bullion. Clipping can be stop in various ways. Laws stating if certain words or designs are not whole then the coin is not worth face value. Rimming is another way. Look at United States penny, on the face is Lincoln and the words In God we trust, Liberty, and the year. On the reverse of the penny are the Lincoln Memorial and the words United States of America, one cent. King George Washington could pass a law stating if letters of wording is not whole merchants can not accept the coin. The penalty for clipping if found guilty was generally hanging. Rimming is best shown by looking at the edge of United States quarter or dime. The ridges are the rimming. Words have also been used for rimming. Debasing is the reason Henry the VIII was nickname ‘Old Copper nose’, when on the third coinage of his money he lessen the silver content. So high relief areas like the nose wore quicker to show the copper base.
You can use a moneyer in your campaign by reflecting modern times. You can’t buy a soft drink in downtown New York with Japanese Yen. So have each nation, or city state create its own coinage. To keep with the PH, we will assume all moneyers make coins the same size in PH. Now when Bucky the Wonder Paladin goes to buy flowers for Sue Succubus in the Greyhawk city; he either is not going to get lucky that night. Or be fined for passing funny money.
Coin craft’s English and UK coins 1066 to Date
www.coincraft.com
America’s Money America’s story by Richard Doty.
Coins and minting by Denis cooper note shire album version is abridge version of his original book The Art and craft of coin making: a history of minting technology
Notes on the Organization of Minting in Medieval England (taken from Challis: History of the Royal Mint, 1992)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/925edgar-coinregs.html Medieval Source book Edward the Elder: Coinage Regulations, C 902-925
Aethelred Unraedy: the Laws of London, 978
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_871209.html rare coin for a mystery roman emperor who ruled Britain Emperor Domitianus coin was found in a find of 5,000 coins
