Exchange rate question?

[S'mon]

While it may sound weird, I think of it this way. In the middle ages an ounce of gold would buy a man a well-made suit. In the 1800's an ounce of gold would buy a man a well-made suit. Today an ounce of gold would buy a man...a well-made suit.

Cedric

But an ounce of gold in D&D is roughly 4gp by weight, assuming some impurity - which seems a bit too little for a well made suit in D&D terms, IMO 4gp equates to about $200. I got a suit in a US factory outlet for $120 a couple of years ago, it's ok but I wouldn't call it 'well made'! Gold has always had less value in D&D than in the real world, perhaps by a factor of 10 - a D&D gp is more like an historical silver piece in terms of buying power.