Do you use electrum pieces?

[fanboy2000]

I have to ask. What's funny about Electrum coins? Their obscurity in modern times?

First, electrum is a an inherently funny word. Some words sound funnier than others. (E.g., pumpernickel)

Also, in 3 and 3.5, games that a completely decimal coin system, electrum are odd because their half a gold (or whatever value you wish to assign them) and it ruins the idea of easily converting your coins into a simple decimal number. (I.e., I have 235.36 gp) You an still do it, but you have to expend a very small amount of brain power to do so. Players are inherently lazy and sometime they just want their phat loot.

 

[renau1g]

I only give electrum pieces because they were bizarre the whole economy was run in EP's

 

[Plane Sailing]

Never used electrum coins. IIRC they were introduced in 1e, and it offended my OD&D grognardia

I'm sure I've since seen an article that pointed out that electrum would be so difficult to make that it would be far more valuable than gold or platinum, but I can't lay my hands on the article.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Both. Used them as a default in 1st/2nd AD&D, then stick with the standard system in 3rd ed. & beyond.

I've thought of using just electrum & bronze coinage for a homebrew setting, but that idea's fallen by the wayside.

I plan to still use electrum coins, as treasure. I like the idea that a dragon's hoard is full of antique electrum coins, making things a bit difficult for immediately spending.

 

[Terry DM]

Yes ... more so than PP, but not nearly as often as CP, SP, or GP.

 

[jonesy]

I'm sure I've since seen an article that pointed out that electrum would be so difficult to make that it would be far more valuable than gold or platinum, but I can't lay my hands on the article.

Make? You mean mint? The alloy itself is naturally occurring, just like gold and silver (both of which it is composed of). It was a better material for coins than gold because at the time it was used people hadn't yet figured out how to properly refine gold. Once they did, electrum wasn't so handy anymore.

I've seen auctions online where electrum coins have gone for $5000-$10.000, but that's probably because they are so rare now.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I used them back in my 1e/2e days. When I get a chance to run a game again (4e or HackMaster), I'll use 'em. My players can use 'em to buy lots of ten-foot poles and mules.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Voted no, although I did use them occasionally back in 1e. Never could stand the non-decimal system as a player, even though it was more accurate for the supposed times. Just one more bit of bookeeping that I didn't want to bother with. Haven't used PP since the 1e days either.

 

[vagabundo]

Wikipedia has some nice historical information:

Electrum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Interesting stuff.

 

[Camelot]

Having started and stuck with 4e, when I saw "electrum," I equated it with "astral diamonds." Lucky for my dignity, I read the rest of the thread before posting. =) Of course, the obvious answer would be no, since they do not exist in 4e (except in the Forgotten Realms, where they are actually worth 5 gp). I haven't used astral diamonds either, because we haven't gotten up to that level of income (not to mention they sound silly).