Currency

Each region in Tera’fir will often mint their own currency. The most popular type of currency comes in the form of coins. Both Asgra and Tienna Mar have different names for their coins but both have about the same value. The standard weight of any coin is one third of an ounce, or 50 coins per pound.

In Asgra the most common form of coin used in trade is the denarii. It is a silver coin that is usually stamped with the bust of what ever Emperor was in power at the time the coin was minted. Sometimes however the coin contains the likeness of a beloved prince or princess, or a celebrated general. Basically the coins can display an image of whatever the Emperor had a fancy for.

Most goods and services are quoted in terms of their value in denarii even if other coins or goods are being exchanged. For example an item selling for 100 gold pieces, would usually be quoted as 1000 denarii. The main exception to this is if the value is lower than a single denarii in which case the cost is given in sestertii (pronounced sestersi) which is a copper coin one tenth of the value of a denarii. The sestertii is also minted in a variety of different likenesses or symbols depending on the whim of the ruling Emperor.

The quinarii, or gold piece, is the only coin that is consistently minted with the same image, which depicts the profile of a lion, the symbol of the Asgran Empire. Asgra is the largest trading hub in the world, and gold is the most common currency used in the trading of goods. Therefore it is both a tradition and a symbol of national pride that the lion is depicted on all gold coins as well as on gold bars that are minted in Asgra. It is because of this that the quinarii (or gold coin) has earned the nickname Lion, or Golden Lion. This nickname has gained enough popularity to the point where it has replaced the official name of quinarii as the standard reference.

Whether minted in Asgra, or Teinna Mar, or some other local, coins of the same type typically have the same weight and value. However some merchants will charge a 10% exchange rate when dealing with foreign coins when you are doing business in or near their home city. Often this cost will be unspoken, and the merchant will simply raise their prices an extra 10% when the foreign coin is presented. While this is standard when doing business in Asgra or Tienna Mar, where the local currency is more common, this exchange rate fee can sometimes be negotiated for favorite customers and is mostly a way to tax foreigners.