Gold or Silver Standard?

[Kid Charlemagne]

I'm mostly just surprised that there's 135 posts and counting on this topic now. Wow.

Does it really matter? It's just an arbitrary thing anyway.

It's one of those things that matters a lot to a certain group of gamers - myself included - but not at all to an entirely seperate and equally valid set of gamers. I don't make apologies for having a wierd obsession with certain simulationist details (I've figured out GNP's for kingdoms in my game world before), but I certainly realize that it's not something I want to try and impose on anyone who doesn't share the interest.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I am surprised that silver is doing so well.

 

[Derren]

Does it really matter? It's just an arbitrary thing anyway.

I certainly won't boycott 4E because of this issue. It actually doesn't affect my decision if I buy 4E or not at all, but to me a world simply seems much more "realistic" when people don't have to wak around with lots of gold coins in their pocket just to buy their needed goods.

 

[Dausuul]

I am surprised that silver is doing so well.

*shrug* There's not a lot of reason to not use a silver standard, and it appeals to those of us who feel gold was too cheap in previous editions.

 

[Desdichado]

I certainly won't boycott 4E because of this issue. It actually doesn't affect my decision if I buy 4E or not at all, but to me a world simply seems much more "realistic" when people don't have to wak around with lots of gold coins in their pocket just to buy their needed goods.

And walking around with a bunch of silver works better?

It's a simple enough solution to posit that the gold coins are smaller and contain less metal, isn't it? Or that in this economy gold is relatively plentiful compared to silver or something.

It is odd that people carry around wads of twenties in their wallets today instead of just briefcases full of ones?

I understand the wish to create a more simulationist environment. That I get. Why a silver standard meets some criteria as a better simulationist environment than gold---that's what I'm a little confused on.

 

[JDJblatherings]

It is odd that people carry around wads of twenties in their wallets today instead of just briefcases full of ones?

I understand the wish to create a more simulationist environment. That I get. Why a silver standard meets some criteria as a better simulationist environment than gold---that's what I'm a little confused on.

I think that's the point to some: they want to carry a pocket full of twenties (gp on silver standard) as opposed to a briefcase full of ones (gp as typical for D&D).

 

[TwinBahamut]

I think that's the point to some: they want to carry a pocket full of twenties (gp on silver standard) as opposed to a briefcase full of ones (gp as typical for D&D).

Exactly. For example, as it stands a horse or a good suit of armor cost hundreds of gold pieces. Imagine that instead they costed hundreds of silver pieces, but could be bought with only one or two gold pieces. It means you need fewer coins to purchase meaningful objects.

 

[JohnSnow]

Exactly. For example, as it stands a horse or a good suit of armor cost hundreds of gold pieces. Imagine that instead they costed hundreds of silver pieces, but could be bought with only one or two gold pieces. It means you need fewer coins to purchase meaningful objects.

Just for comparison, at current trading prices, silver is about 1/55 the value of gold (~$16 per ounce vs. ~$880). Rounding that to 1/50, we could easily get a very interesting coinage system.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Just for comparison, at current trading prices, silver is about 1/55 the value of gold (~$16 per ounce vs. ~$880). Rounding that to 1/50, we could easily get a very interesting coinage system.

Throughout most of history, the valuation was in the 12-1 or 13-1 range, I think.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

How unfortunate.

Just stay off my lawn and I won't have to call your dad.