Old Arangothian Currency

From #BlkDragon*Inn
Jump to navigation Jump to search

With no central government authority to regulate the issuance of currency during the Interregnum, Arangoth's monetary system became a hodge-podge of local and foreign currencies. This led bankers and moneylenders to create the Bank Crown as an accounting unit to deal with this confusing situation. King Arlok ul-Dorn recognized the need for reform, and addressed the problem shortly after his coronation with his Currency Decree of Evening Star of 469. The decree states:

"Be it herewith decreed that a new monetary system is and shall be established in the Kingdom of Arangoth. We are aware that the current monetary system is flawed, insofar as the coinage of the realm has had no fixed weight or value. It has come to Our attention that many unscrupulous persons, on having prices quoted in "gold coins," for example, have paid with extraordinarily small, lightweight coins, while demanding coins thrice this same weight whenever payments are made to them. We have also examined many coins in circulation and have discovered that many "gold" and "silver" coins are in fact made of a base metal alloy, often containing much tin and/or nickel. We therefore decree the introduction of a new monetary system, according to which:


100 quaspins = 1 rixtle
100 rixtles = 1 lurinthoon

The banking unit known as the "Arangothian Crown" is to be deemed equivalent to a half-rixtle or 50 quaspins. Thus:

1 quaspin = 0.02 crown
1 rixtle = 2 crowns

1 lurinthoon = 200 crowns"

Gold Coins

The smaller gold coins have on their obverse a picture of a tower or fortification with the inscription ARLOK APTENTROD UL FLUNBRANTH (Arlok, Guardian of the East). The reverse shows a different weapon (sword, axe, etc., depending on denomination) with the inscription: SIGOVATH NE GINTELIMIL (Death to Our Enemies).

The larger gold coins (two and five lurinthoons) bear a joint portrait of the King and Queen enthroned, with the text ARLOK GOSSATH LA MELINXA GOSPINOTH (King Arlok and Queen Melinxa). The reverse of the two-lurinthoon piece portrays the Royal Palace of Tagrana, with merely the inscription TAGRANA. The reverse of the five-lurinthoon piece shows the castle of Hornath-ul-Marfed with both sun and double-moon in the sky. The inscription is: GORDONTH BEN BAN PIR (A lantern constantly).

Gold Denominations

Gold coins in Arangoth are called lurinthoons, from the Arangothek word for gold.

  1. Five Lurinthoon piece = 1000.00 Bank Crowns
  2. Two Lurinthoon piece = 400.00 Bank Crowns
  3. Lurinthoon = 200.00 Bank Crowns
  4. Half Lurinthoon = 100.00 Bank Crowns
  5. Quarter Lurinthoon = 50.00 Bank Crowns

Silver Coins

The silver coins bear the royal portrait together with the text, ARLOK ME MENXVAN GOSSATH UL ARANGOTH (Arlok, with Menxvan, King of Arangoth). The reverse shows a mountain with a dove sitting at its top, and bears the inscription TETHRA TIN RUTHMARNA (Peace in Ruthmarna). The ten-rixtle piece shows the King standing in full armor and bearing a sword. The twenty-rixtle piece is similar, but shows the King with a Ruthmarna bandit kneeling before him. The detail on the reverse varies depending on size: on the twenty-rixtle piece a village can be seen on the mountainside.

Silver Denominations

Silver coins in Arangoth are called Rixtles, from the Arangothek word for silver.

  1. Twenty Rixtle piece = 40.00 Bank Crowns
  2. Ten Rixtle piece = 20.00 Bank Crowns
  3. Four Rixtle piece = 8.00 Bank Crowns
  4. Double Rixtle = 4.00 Bank Crowns
  5. Rixtle = 2.00 Bank Crowns
  6. Half-rixtle or "Crown" = 1.00 Bank Crown


Base Metal Coins

The base-metal coins portray on the obverse the Arangothian crown surrounded by the text (abbreviated on smaller coins): ARLOK ME MENXVAN GOSSATH UL ARANGOTH (Arlok, with Menxvan, King of Arangoth). The reverse bears the inscription TISPAT TA GOXODELOTH (Food for the People), together with a picture of a bundle of grain. The 40 and 20 quaspin pieces instead show a cart of grain on their reverse.

Base Metal Denominations

Base Metal coins in Arangoth are called Quaspins, from the Arangothek word for copper.

  1. Forty Quaspin piece = 0.80 Bank Crowns
  2. Twenty Quaspin piece = 0.40 Bank Crowns
  3. Ten Quaspin piece = 0.20 Bank Crowns
  4. Four Quaspin piece = 0.08 Bank Crowns
  5. Double Quaspin = 0.04 Bank Crowns
  6. Quaspin = 0.02 Bank Crowns
  7. Half-quaspin = 0.01 Bank Crowns

Other Provisions of the Currency Decree

Legal Penalties

  • The denominations are clearly marked on all coins. Counterfeiting the money of the realm shall be punished with swift death.
  • Anyone found clipping metal from coins of the realm shall have his or her fingers and toes "clipped."

Regarding Foreign Currencies

Foreign moneys, which have long circulated in Arangoth and caused great confusion, shall no longer be deemed legal tender. All future tolls, duties, fines, and other official payments must be made using this new currency. The sole exception to this shall be within the boundaries of the city of Drache.

Disposition of Obsolete Currency

Old coins may be exchanged for the new currency by weight and metal, with a 4% re-minting fee. The money taken in from this fee is to go directly into a royal fund to purchase grain for the starving poor of Drache.

Drachean Bank Crowns

Drache is a port city that thrives on commerce, so there are almost as many currencies in circulation in Drache as there are foreign visitors to the city. To make transactions easier with this baffling array of coinage, the most common financial unit in Drache is the Bank Crown, which is a banking unit used for accounting and moneychanging. Most businesses and even the government in Drache sets values in Bank Crowns, which are then either collected or paid out in various currencies. In Arangoth, the half-rixtle piece, a silver coin, is equivalent to the value of a Bank Crown.

Prices of Goods and Services in Drache

According to the Drache Census of 469, the average resident of the Wharf District has a "monetary value" of 23 bank crowns; in the Red Lantern District it's 14. That's basically the amount of money these people could get if they sold everything they owned (except very basic things like the clothes off their backs) and combined that with all their cash on hand. These people don't really have any savings and very little property, and would probably be destitute in a week or so without working or stealing. Therefore, the minimum cost for food and lodgings in Drache for a week is about 15 bank crowns.

Here's a suggested breakdown of how someone might spend that sum:

Item Quantity Price Total Cost (in Bank Crowns)
loaf of bread 7 20 quaspins 2.80
glass of ale 14 10 quaspins 2.80
water -- Free from public fountains 0
bowl of stew 3 30 quaspins 1.80
whole chicken 1 1 rixtle 2.00
nightly rent (small room) 7 40 quaspins 5.60
Total 15 Bank Crowns

All these same things probably cost one and a half to two times as much in the Blkdragon District.

Actually owning a house in Drache would cost perhaps a year's rent on the same property, hence: 0.8 bank crowns per night X 365 = 292 bank crowns per room. A typical small Arangothian house has basically a main room and a raised second-story platform, so maybe about 375 bank crowns. A larger extended-family house might be around 1200 crowns. (Note: prices include basic furnishings: chairs, rugs, bed, etc.) Houses in more desirable areas of the city and built of better quality materials will cost more.

Other rough estimates for not-very-fancy examples of the following:

  • horse = 65 crowns
  • knife = 20 crowns
  • basic clothing = 18 crowns
  • pair of shoes = 12 crowns
  • skin of wine = 3.5 crowns [bottle extra]
  • day's work (unskilled) = 2 1/2 crowns
  • bowl or cup = 1/2 crown

Obviously a good Khalar horse, a finely-crafted dagger, or a night's work for a courtesan at the House of the Silver Swan would be much in excess of the given figures. Note that an unskilled laborer makes roughly 17.5 crowns per week if he/she works every day. Based on living expenses of 15 crowns per week, that permits a weekly savings of 2.5 crowns; without scrimping, it would take almost five weeks to save up enough money to buy a new pair of shoes.