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Chapter I: Currency & Trade

CURRENCY& TRADE

CURRENCY & TRADE

CURRENCY & TRADE

Regardless of nationality, all coins currently in circulation have the same approximate weights and are usually made

from the same materials. Each coin weighs approximately one ounce, and all coins are made from gold, silver, and either brass or copper (though sometimes bronze). In every land, people refer to coins by common names. Gold coins are Gold Crowns, and when written are designated with “gc;” silver coins are Silver Shillings, noted as “s;” brass (or bronze or copper, in any case they are all of equal value) are Pennies, and designated by “p.” So 4 Gold Crowns is written 4 gc, 9 Silver Shillings is 9 s, and 15 Brass Pennies is 15 p.

Th e rate of exchange is as follows.

1 Gold Crown (gc) = 20 Silver Shillings (s) = 240 Brass Pennies (p)

1 Silver Shilling = 12 Brass Pennies

As stated, superfi cial diff erences do exist. Th e image on the coin’s face changes with the nation or city-state minting the coin. Adulations, praises, and sayings all depend on the culture from which they originate. Some of the major nationalities and their coins are as follows.

“I gave the protagonist 20 Shimmies to take care of a little problem for me. Amazing how you

can grease with the wheels of commerce with a bit of coin and a bit of blood.”

—Johannes, Carroburg Smuggler

BORDER PRINCESTh e Border Princes do not mint their own coinage. Coin from any land is legitimate tender in these states. Of the coins circulating in this troubled land, the Empire’s coins are by far the most common, but those of other nations are also found.

BRETONNIABretonnian coins are far less ostentatious than many, with a simple yet elegant design. Th e gold coin is called the ecu, also of a comparable size and weight to the Imperial crown. It features the bust of King Gilles le Breton, the founder of their nation, the basis of their military tradition, and the fi nest example of all of their knights. Th e denier features Gilles le Breton’s personal coat of arms and the date of his death. Finally, the penny is a mixture of bronze and pewter, featuring the coat of arms or familial symbol of one of the 14 duchies composing the nation.

CHAPTER

ICHAPTER

ICHAPTER

I

Coin is scarce; so most people in the Old World rely on bartering and trading services to survive. A miller charges an agreed upon weight of grain in exchange for grinding it to fl our, while a butcher claims a portion of the animal in exchange for cleaning and

dressing the kill. Th is level of traded service allows people in the Old World to overcome the scarcity of wealth by sharing the burden of survival amongst the community. Of course, any peasant will take coin for his services, charging nobles and their servants for a haunch of meat, medical service, fi nished products like weapons and armour, just as one would expect. But such transactions are few and far between, too infrequent to feed their families and maintain the thatch roofs over their heads.

For examples of common wages and income levels, see Table 1-1: Income.

— DENOMINATIONS —

features the bust of King Gilles le Breton,

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Chapter I: Currency & Trade

THE EMPIRETh e Empire mints the majority of the currency in circulation and its coins are by far the most common in the Old World. All cities mint their own coins, but each meets the specifi cations established in Nuln. Variations are quite common. One year, Altdorf marked the backs of their lesser coins with a deathly fi gure; the next year they displayed a rampant griff on. One thing uniting all the coins is the profi le of the current Elector Count of each state that adorns the front. A profusion of diff erently minted coins in circulation combined with regional dialect and an Old Worlder’s tendency to wilful obscurity makes the situation even worse. Examples include the Gelt, a northlander term for gold coins; the Mark, which is pretty much used throughout the Empire for gold; Shimmies is a street term of unknown origin for Shillings; and Mucks is used by rural folk for the Shillings. Even Pennies aren’t exempt from the slang of the Empire’s streets, earning evocative names like “Shrapnels” from soldiers and “Clanks” from the guttersnipes. Marienburg, no longer technically part of the Empire, has “Guilders,” gold coins stamped with the profi le of a prominent guildmaster. Naturally, these coins change appearance often.

ALTDORFCommemorating the victory over the von Carsteins through the two sieges of the city during the Vampire Wars, Altdorf occasionally uses a deathly fi gure as a symbol. By it, they celebrate their defi ance against undead and evil magic. Some coins, usually the pence, feature a rampant griff on to show deference to the Emperor. Th e profi le of the Emperor dominates their coins more than any other nation; so most people here call Gold Crowns “Karls.” Th ose on the streets call these coins “Shiners.”

HOCHLANDAs a province of great hunters, Hochland uses images of the bow and horn on their coinage. In recent times, because of the proliferation of the Hochland long rifl e,

newer coins feature this weapon crossed over a bow. Lesser coins display a stag, bear, or stoat.

MIDDENHEIM Proud of their associations with Ulric, Middenheim stamps their coins with a running wolf. Some coins, notably Shillings, also bear the image of a four-gated citadel or key to commemorate the gate wardens, whose regiments fought in the city’s defence.

MOOTLANDTh e Halfl ings of the Moot use their symbol, a gigantic cock, on their silver coins. As this is the only coin the Moot mints, they use Karls and Clanks from the Empire.

NULNAs a centre for learning and industry, Nuln marks their coins with images of the great bridge of the city or batteries of the various cannons they’ve developed. Th e Gold Crown features the crest of Nuln’s Gunnery School on the back and the profi le of the Emperor on the face.

OSTLANDTh e bull of Ostland is a symbol of stubbornness and solidity, a characteristic shared and perhaps inherited from its Kislevite neighbours. Th e Dragon Bow of the Count, heirloom of the rulers of Ostland, is also used on these coins.

STIRLAND Th e tribe controlling these lands at the time of Sigmar were not ruled over by a chieftain, but by a fi erce warrior-queen.

TABLE 1-1: INCOME

Job Yearly Pay (gc) Monthly Pay (s) Weekly Pay (p) Daily Pay (p)

Peasant 9-15 15-25 45-75 7-12 Rich Farmer 15-25 25-45 75-135 12-22 Innkeeper 20-30 35-50 105-150 17-25 City Shopkeeper 20-40 35-65 105-195 17-32 Mercenary 20-50 35-80 105-240 17-40 Skilled Craftsman 25-80 40-135 120-400 20-66 Typical Fence 30-100 50-165 150-495 25-82 Doctor 40-150 65-250 195-750 32-125 Artifi cer 150-500 250-835 750- 2505 125-420 Lesser Noble 250-500 415-835 1245- 2505 210-420 Wizard Lord 300-800 500-1350 1500- 4050 250-675 Greater Noble 1000+ 1700+ 5100+ 850+

All yearly wages given are before regional taxes have been applied.

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Chapter I: Currency & Trade

Th ough she died at Blackfi re Pass, and her son took on the mantel of Elector when the Empire was forged, this ferocious leader is still honoured in ancient songs of the province. Th ough her name is now forgotten, her likeness is immortalized on Stirland’s silver coins.

TALABHEIM Th e sacred Talabec River is important to Talabheim life, being the source of trade, religion, and life. Hence, many coins, notably the Silver Shilling, feature images of a river. Talabheim’s penny also has religious connotations, marking its signifi cance back to Gods antedating Sigmar. All pennies minted in the city bear the image of antlers or of a twisted tree whose branches are shaped like antlers. Th e city’s location in the crater of a comet fi rms the connection between the people of Talabheim and the symbol of Sigmar, the twin-tailed comet. To celebrate their vaunted status, they mark their Crowns with the image of the twin-tailed comet.

WISSENLAND Having absorbed the former Solland province, the people of the south continue to uphold the tradition of using the sun in their coins and fl ags. Th e reason for this longstanding reverence comes from the fall of Solland itself, for it is one of the darkest stories in Imperial history. Most say the area is a place that the ‘Light Doth Shine No More.’

ESTALIAEstalian currency is similar to Imperial coins, being of the same weights and compositions. Th e face of the excelente, their gold piece, features a castle on a hillside, and the back of the coin bears the crest of the ruling family of the city-state where the coin was minted. Like much of the Old World, the silver real is the standard unit of currency, featuring a fi sh on the front and the date of its minting on the back. Finally, the duro, the smallest denomination, is made of bronze or copper. Th ese small coins feature a merchant’s scale on the face and the banner of the Estalia Kingdoms on the back.

KISLEVTh e Kislevite gold ducat changes with each Tzar or Tzarina, bearing a new profi le whenever a monarch takes the throne. Th e palace is the only constant, always present on the back of the coin. Th ese coins are of exceptional quality; legend has it that the coin dies originated from the Dwarf-holds of the World’s Edge Mountains. Th e denga, Kislev’s silver coin, is more common than the gold coin, and it bears the image of Tsarina Kattarin. Th e pulo, a copper coin, displays a bear’s head on the face and an eagle on the back.

NORSCAFar north of the Empire and Kislev lies the frigid land of Norsca, a place where Chaos has a fi rm grasp. Much of this bleak and frozen

landscape is inhospitable and too distant and dangerous for many merchants. Norscan people rarely mint their own coins, content to steal coins during their raids. What coins they do mint are the sceattas, a small silver coin bearing the crude image of a Norscan king encircled by a ring of runes, and the pfennig, a bronze coin whose face is divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant bears a rune; starting with strength in the top left quadrant, clockwise the other quadrants are courage, death, and conquest. Th e Norscan people do not mint gold coins; they melt it down to make jewellery instead.

Th ey do not exchange coins with other nations, seeing coins from other lands as equal value regardless of composition.

TILEAN CITY-STATESNo two city-states in Tilea have the same coins. A variety of images and symbols mark them, depending on the region and government responsible for their minting; although Tilea does abide by the Crown, Shilling, and Penny nomenclature used by the Empire. Th e common Gold Crown features the profi le of various famous merchant princes on the front and a merchant’s scale on the back, similar to what’s used in the Estalian duro. Shillings may feature sailing ships or the bolt thrower, a famous Tilean invention. Pennies also vary wildly. Some depict an important fortresses, shrines, government buildings, or even marketplaces. Because each city-state mints its own currency, quality varies. As a result, Tilean coinage is generally worthless in other lands. Dwarfs fl at out refuse to accept Tilean currency in their own lands, so merchants from these lands use Imperial coin.

DWARF COINSTh e Dwarfs use the same denominations as the Empire, but each coin is of a quality and composition superior to those used by Men. Th e gold coin features an intricate rendering of the Book of Grudges, to remind other races of the Dwarf people’s long memory. Other coins, silver and bronze alike, have the clan symbols stamped on the face, with the date of their minting on the backs. Some Dwarfen coins also have images of mountains as well. Dwarfs, ever the literal people without understanding of subtleties, refer to their coins by gold, silver, and brass.

ELF COINSLike other people in the Old World, Elves use coins to facilitate trade with their Human neighbours; although among their own people, they prefer to barter or trade in services rather than partake in the impersonal exchange of metals. As with all things in Elven communities, the medium presents an opportunity for their artisans to show a profound understanding of the world, to create something of unsurpassed beauty. However, given their general disdain for violence and warfare, they never glorify battle in their art. Th us, one never fi nds an Elven gold sovereign decorated with a pair of