Long post by new member is long

[Dannyalcatraz]

Currency is an arbitrary, made up system that exists as long as those participating within the system agree it has value.

Like Greenfield already ninja'd me on this, currencies based on actual precious metals are generally valued by their mass of that metal.

So unless the loser's currency is easily devalued by shaving, hollowing, being alloyed with base metals, or other forms of forgery, it will be valued by its equivalent mass in the victor's coin.

On occasion, coins of the defeated were outlawed, so you'd melt yours down and have it recast...unless you were a loyalist rebel, that is, and the coin was used as a symbol of resistance.

 

[Herobizkit]

You could always pull a classic Lord of the Rings on them.

WHERE did they get all that money?

Chances are there will be hundreds, thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of individuals who have "suffered" at the hands of the PCs.

The Dwarves are upset that their Ancestral Home (tm) was robbed.
The Elves think that too much wealth causes issues.
The Humanoids rally together to make The Biggest Score Ever.
Gnomes start asking for loans to finance Things That Don't Work.

... and so on.

Soon, everyone is looking for their piece of the PC's pie.

War ensues.

 

[halfcore]

That being said, standard D&D money is in copper, silver, gold and platinum. Actual precious metals.

Like Greenfield already ninja'd me on this, currencies based on actual precious metals are generally valued by their mass of that metal.

So unless the loser's currency is easily devalued by shaving, hollowing, being alloyed with base metals, or other forms of forgery, it will be valued by its equivalent mass in the victor's coin.

As mentioned in my original post, the money doesn't exist in precious metals. The story being as old as it is, the starting point of "standard D&D" has been deviated from ages ago, haha! They COULD withdraw their money in the form of some kind of precious material, but their wealth being what it is, there's not enough gold in any bank to cover those kinds of amounts. Like at all.

Thanks for the ideas on alternate ways of making it hard on them with all of their ill-and-otherwise-gotten gains. I do make a point of having other adventuring parties cross their paths sometimes. The players joke about how these are my other rpg groups which would be pretty awesome if I could pull it off. I do love a good continuously persistent world. Anyway, babble babble.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Even when you started with more modern monetary practices- classic example being the Italian merchants of the middle ages- the actual currency was tied to precious metal reserves.

The metals were only transferred between moneylenders on monthly or quarterly bases. The paper that circulated- promissory notes, checks, and even paper currency- would remain redeemable in hard money. This was true even for some time after a regime change, unless the new regime was trying to actively inflict economic hardship upon the conquered. But in times of strife, those stand-ins for metal coinage become less popular with merchants.

Which is why, even to this day, precious metals and hard currency trend upwards in demand in times of strife.

 

[halfcore]

Hmmm... even when it concerns a hostile takeover? It is (probably) true that the currency is tied to some form of precious material, probably even the same kind as that of the other side. Does that change the facts though? Would the local currency not collapse if the enemy swoops in and takes economical control?

This is going a lot deeper than what I had in mind... but that's good! I like to be prepared.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Like I said, it depends: if the conquerer wants to keep the economy clicking and the peasantry happy with the new boss, they'll keep the old stuff in circulation so that commerce isn't disrupted. Phaseout will be gradual.

OTOH, if it's all about putting the conqured under the proverbial bootheel, the outlawing of old currency could happen overnight. Old currency will be valued at a tenth of its face value..or even worthless. This gums up the economy pretty badly, and makes restarting the engines of commerce entirely dependent on trading with the conquerors.

And in all honesty, the latter is the more common case by far. However, it is my understanding that Rome used the former in building its empire.