PC's trading in items

[Saeviomagy]

PC 1 finds a 1,000 GP Ruby. He goes to town and sells it to a Gem Merchant for the Face Value (1,000 GP).

Several Weeks Pass....

See, personally I can't think why the guy just sits on the gem for several weeks.

Surely he'd either be turning the thing into jewelery, faceting it, or transporting it somewhere else for sale where Gems are a rare thing, or giving it to a special buyer who's stated his need for a certain gem and is willing to pay 2000gp to get one that fits the bill. I really can't imagine that he just has a room full of gems with price tags on them...

 

[Saeviomagy]

I see it that way for a couple of reasons - Primarily, because that's how the core rules says it should be handled. Secondarily, I do it that way because while I have had PCs attempt to change gems to money innumerable times, I have had characters attempt to buy a gem a grand total of once, ever.

I think that even funnier is the fact that when characters DO want to buy gems on a regular basis (ie - they're a spellcaster with a need for material components), they couldn't care less how much they're charged, because if the guy charges more, then the PC uses less in the spell (since the spell requires a 100gp pearl, who cares if you spend that 100gp on a deeply flawed pearl that's the size of a grain of dust...).

 

[kigmatzomat]

Here's an idea: gem merchants don't really trade in gems so much as they are gem cutters. They take raw or poorly cut stones and convert them to finished, polished gems. IMC the gems worth less than 100gp are typically raw stones or very small. The mage makes spare cash by using his gemcutting skill to improve the stones.

Since gems are trade goods, you don't *sell* them for gold, you use them *instead* of gold. They just aren't as reliable b/c if the seller doesn't have a decent gemcraft he won't take them. Then you go to a usurer, aka moneychanger, who charges a 10% fee for converting the stones to coin of the realm.

 

[adwyn]

PC 2 goes into town looking for a 1,000 GP Gem. Goes to above Gem Merchant. Mercahnt sells him the Ruby for 1,000 GP. Merchant makes 0 gold. I can't do that. It makes no sense. According to the RAW these merchants NEVER make a profit. That just doesn't happen. Merchants have to have a mark-up. That's a simple rule. I keep haggling to a minimum, but the PC's never get full market value for their items.

The key here is that the players only think they're getting the same ruby back.

 

[Baron Opal]

Sorry,
Merchants have to have a mark-up. That's a simple rule. I keep haggling to a minimum, but the PC's never get full market value for their items.

I used to do this but it came to be a pain in the neck. None of my players wanted to deal with haggling or economics, they wanted to explore and save the damsel. So, for found treasure I have them use Appraisal to know what to ask for, and on a good roll they get the "listed" price. But if they need a X,000 gp gem for a spell component, magic item fabrication or some adventure reason I just charge them list price.

If you find a 500 gp garnet, and your character know what it is, you get 500 gp for it. Too much hassle otherwise.

 

[Quickbeam]

My answer is much the same as others have posted, in that I use a base of 50% modified by diplomacy and the results of previous exchanges between the party and NPC in question. Some items can be sold or traded at greater values depending on special circumstances and relationships

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

For gems, gold, other trade items, I give 100% - I assume that the PCs can check around and find a end buyer or trade it for something (for instance, using it as part of the payment for a magic item). If I really want to, I make them roll a Gather Info check. Otherwise, they can take it to a money changer or gem merchant and get anywhere from 75%-95% for it.

For weapons, magic items, etc (non-trade goods) 50% book value.

 

[eliandi]

I use a 50% system, modified by appraise and diplomacy

I do, however, watch out for times when the property might be "hot" and make that a more roleplaying for those. Not only stolen goods, but that special sword you got off the bandit chief. Its mighty distinct, and maybe the merchant isn't willing to touch it fearing retribution from the former bandits. Or maybe its a family heirloom, and someone wants it back.

 

[tensen]

I also assume that when you are appraising a gem, thats the value you can get for it.
of course that means when they need a 100gp pearl to appriase something.. they have a tendency to spend more than the price to get one unless they already have a stockpile of their own.

 

[painandgreed]

I'm leanign towards just treating gems as money traded at same value. The people who would trade such gems would be jewelers, moneychangers, or rich people like lords. The jeweler is going to use it and so won't have it to sell two weeks later unless you ant to buy the 5,000 GP goblet that it is now a part of. If he is holding onto gems that he hasn't used, he'll probalby charge a 10% fee like the moneychanger will in both the case of buying and selling the gem. Rich people will either change for 10% like a money lender or even free as they may be in the market for such items. Then again, lords and such can make friends and influence people by preforming such money changing without a fee. In cases where the gem is actually used to pay for something, such as the manufacture of a magic item, it goes across like money at 100% value.

I figure that gem prices are somewhat regulated just as coin exchange rates are either by law or tradition. While there is a demand for gems as luxury items, I figure the more major demand is from the rich for a stable, non-volitile commodity that is easier to transport than gold, ie gems and precious stones. The demand for gems as a money item is greater than the demand for gems as a luxury item and stableizes the price so that other market factors don't change the price enough to worry about.