Wednesday, March 13, 2024

d100 - Vernacular Coinage & Specialized Specie

Most of the time, the kinds of coins the Players end up stuffing in their Pouches and Pockets might be a little uninspiring with just their two-letter abbreviation to differentiate them. Sure, we’re always quite careful to enumerate the type/metal composition for value purposes, but what other things can these coins tell us?

Here is a table with some ideas. These could serve as “Common Names” for coinage in a region, decorations for Heads and Tails, or also potentially a window into the culture that minted them in the first place. What people put on their money usually tends to align with other values that they want to extol or claim to possess. Vernacular names could come up during transactions when the Party travels to a new Region with its own types of currency, and sometimes the “motifs” and decorations themselves end up deliciously muddled through trade. Ancient Coins retrieved from forgotten Hoards might provide a window to those who traded with them. I suppose one might find this table useful for embellishing various other things in need of a little more specificity on demand (constellations, heraldry, artwork, etc.)

4 comments:

  1. This is a great idea and gives a good vibe to the world as we call our money also with different names. Like it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This d100 table is an absolute gem! It adds layers of richness to the often overlooked aspect of coinage in RPGs. The variety of vernacular names and detailed descriptions for each coin provide endless opportunities for creative storytelling. I can't wait to introduce these unique coins into my campaign and watch my players engage with the history and culture behind them. This is a fantastic resource for any GM looking to add depth and flavor to their game world. Highly recommended!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What I use is:
    Copper = Breams
    Silver = Trouts
    Gold = Salmons

    Each bears the image of the fish after which it is named.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I see that you already have “bream” and “salmon” on #78

      Delete

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