#fantasy currency

[ailelie]

A Non-Exhaustive List of Economic Resources for Worldbuilding

This resource list is for others who, like me, think their fiction needs more economics. I am not an economist. These are just resources that seemed helpful to me. All of these are also articles rather than videos out of personal preference.

High Level

These are your tl;dr resources. They provide a springboard for thought.

The Three Economies (DnD Other)

This wiki article “The Three Economies” is for gamemasters and specifically for D&D, but it provides a very high-level summary of the kinds of economy that might occur in D&D-style settings in a way that I think is broadly applicable for worldbuilding (e.g., thing itself, agreed-upon value of thing, etc).

The Cambist and Lord Iron

This fantastic short story by Daniel Abraham is fiction, but it delves into the idea of currency and how we determine value. If you want to see how economics can fit with fiction and get an idea for how currency exchange works, this story is worth reading.

Worldbuilding 102: Economics in Fantasy Society Part 1

This blog article discusses the three kinds of economy (gift, barter, market) at a high level and provides possible story hooks for each, demonstrating the value of including economics in fantasy.

Building an Economy Overall

Enriching Your Worldbuilding with Economics

This article poses three key questions (and explains how answering them supports stories). The questions are the following: what is the payoff, what is the cost (and who is paying it), and what are the main externalities?

For Your Enjoyment, Part 3: Trade and commerce for deeper economies

This article covers currency, markets, merchants, trade, and economic sectors. Each section is brief, but practical for writers. It also provides examples of three kinds of currency: commodity, representative, and fiat.

Currency

Creating Coins: Worldbuilding Fantasy Money

A step-by-step guide to creating coinage.

Worldbuilding 101: Currency

A great explanation of currency, including the required aspects and different types. The section on mathematics provides some great guidance on deciding the units involved in your imaginary currency.

Worldbuilding 102: Money and Banking in Fantasy Societies

This blog article provides a brief overview of the history of currency from cowrie shells and salt to promissory notes and bills, as well as the history of banking and accounting.

Tips for Creating a Fictional Currency

This blog article provides a brief explanation of the key qualities for any imaginary currency: rarity, durability, weight, uniformity, and divisibility.

Alternative Economics (Part 1: Money)

This resource reviews how money works and discusses multiple examples from history and fiction.

Currency and Worldbuilding

This resource reviews the pros and cons of some well-known fictional currencies including credits, spheres, kittens, and coins.

What is Money?

The Reserve Bank of Australia shares these three requirements: widely accepted means of payment, unit of account, and store of value. This high-level explanation includes some examples of historical currency.

List Price of Medieval Items

Although the site isn't the prettiest, this list of medieval items and costs, with sources, includes conversions into pounds and shillings (at the time of publication, which looks to be in the late 90s).

Markets and Trade

Natural Resources and Trade in Fantasy Worldbuilding

This high-level article discusses the importance of natural resources and trade and how to use them to generate conflict.

An Incredibly Detailed Map of Medieval Trade Routes

Exactly as the title says. This focuses, specifically, on 11th and 12th century routes.

8 Trade Routes That Shaped History

Yes, this is a Mental Floss listicle. Yes, it is worth reading, if only to learn of eight historical trade routes to look up more information about.

This map shows how new words spread along trade routes

Exactly as the title says. Specifically, the map charts the following words: whiskey, tomato, coca, ivory, cotton, and tea.

Supply and Demand: Why Markets Tick

This basic overview explains what the Law of Supply and Law of Demand are and how they interact in markets.

Nabataean Trade Routes

A historical review of Nabataean routes. I think this paper is especially helpful to writers because historical record is not as complete as for other traders and routes. The speculation in this paper could open up potential plot points for a fantasy society. The paper also mentions the framework of outside incomes and inside incomes.

Economic Topics (e.g., Inflation, Guilds)

Guilds and the Economy

This academic article by Sheilagh Ogilvie is an in-depth exploration of guilds and the myriad ways they affected medieval economies. I adore Ogilvie (and highly rec her book The European Guilds), but if you're looking for a very positive portrayal of guilds, this is not it. If, instead, you're hoping for an honest and robust exploration of how guilds complicated medieval life, this is the article for you. While long, the headings can help you quickly find the sub-sections most relevant for you. Check out her other articles on her website. They're all worth reading.

Star Trek's Post-Scarcity World, Explained

This article is about Star Trek and how that fictional world achieved a (partial) post-scarcity society.

Rethinking Work in a Post-Scarcity Economy

This high level article explains what post-scarcity is and how society can adjust to such a reality. It also shares a brief list of benefits and challenges.

"What the Hell is Inflation Anyway?"

This article focuses on linguistics, but makes a rather critical point about how language shapes understanding, which then can shape economic policies. This seems valuable for anyone wanting to find less modern terms for economic principles or who are developing a conlang that may include economy terms.

Inflation and its Measurement

I like Reserve Bank of Australia resources because they don't rely on videos. This article explains what inflation is and how to calculate it. While it does get a bit technical, the visuals and straightforward writing keep it accessible to lay people.

The Economies of Science Fiction

Note: This article is on Medium. This is a fascinating interview with Jo Lindsay Walton regarding the intersection of science fiction and economics. The interview includes many fictional and historical examples.

[corvid-gae]

Uhhh... I totally didn't just now finish any kind of important concepting for currency in my book. No, no. Totally was already finished LMAO

Also their naming is a bit "ironic" -- Elsyanne used to be ruled by a power-hungry & corrupt kingdom, & while they aren't anymore they've kept some of the names for things. Like the currency.

[thesnakesstuff]

I finally finished the references for a fantasy currency I've been working on. It's based off the cycles of the moon and different types of stars.

I really liked the idea of star shaped coins and wanted a way to incorporate it into one of my fantasy worlds.

100 Stellas are worth one Lunae. I also gave the Lunae two different "face" sides that are both in distribution.

I also wanted the Lunae to be able to be used as a sort of tarot game, so there are different meaning associated with each coin, that can change depending on which coin you pull and which side it falls on when you flip them.

Traditionally you play the game with 10 Lunae (one of each unique coin) in a bag. You then proceed to pull out three coins at random, and flip each one to read your fortune.

I'll put some of the thoughts I had on each coin's meaning under the cut for anyone who wants to read:

First we have the Novum, which is based off of a New Moon. It's the lowest Lunae in value. While it can sometimes be interpreted as an indicator of a low point, it can also be representative of new beginnings, and or a cyclical nature. It's two faces are of a blue butterfly perched on a blade of grass, and a blue phoenix rising from the ashes, which both represent cycles in different ways. The phoenix represents cycles that happen over longer periods of time, and are set in stone. It also represents the "beginning" of the cycle (ash to phoenix). However the butterfly represents shorter cycles that are subject to outside interference. It also shows the butterfly, which is the end of it's lifecycle.

Next we have the Crescere based off of a Waxing Moon. It generally represents growth and a warning to stay connected to your roots during this change. It's faces depict a large tree with a small sprout coming off it's base, and a green mushroom growing from a decaying log. The tree shows new growth from an already living entity, while the mushroom succeeds because of the death of an entity.

The Janus is based off of a half full moon. It tends to represent duality, and a truth yet to be uncovered. It's two faces are of a man with two faces, the left one old and the right one young. The other face is of a red snake winding closer to the viewer. The two faced man represents a need for a different perspective, while the snake represents the obfuscation or obstruction of the truth.

The Paene is based off of a Gibbous moon, and tends to represent a need for caution, and a warning not to fall complacent as the end approaches. It's two faces are of an eye staring at the viewer, and an orange goat looking under a wooden door at a wolf's paw. The first face is represents either a need to be observant or a warning that you are being watched. The second is a depiction of the fairy tail "The wolf and the seven young goats" where a wolf tries to trick seven young goats into believing he is their mother so they will open the door for him. This face represents a need to see past trickery, and/or a warning that you are being sabotaged.

Finally the Totus is based off of a full moon, and can represent completion, relief, and clarity. It's faces depict a naked women sitting with her arms outstretched, and a golden apple. The woman represents the need for rest after an ordeal is over, or a need for familiar surroundings after a long period of change. The golden apple represents the ability to celebrate a recent accomplishment.

[elderscrollsconceptart]

Septim coin

Physical coin which came with the Collector's edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

*Art and coin mintage unknown* if anyone knows the credit comment below

[wondrous-art]

More lore stuff, mostly covering the currency system for the Miinu. Now the miinu can also suffer under capitalism!

[indigoblackstone]

I want to make an anime bc I like to suffer, here are some of the ideas I have down for the main gal and then her kingdoms currency/travel stuff tell me what y'all think

She's a princess, super rich, throwing money at her problems but she ain't a cunt I'll tell ya that I don't have a story line set in stone but it's whatever

[daily-fantasy-ideas]

Hey, you! don't have the primary coinage material in your setting be gold.

Why? . . . idk gold just seems a bit overused, and also I don't care for it's colour. Maybe try silver instead it was used as currency a lot historically, and more importantly, it also looks nicer than gold in my opinion.

Also you could have metals that are harder to extract and shape be worth more, so you could have aluminium coins, or tungsten coins, or even osmium coins

[tales-from-the-underseas]

Some first drafts of Undersea currencies!

Republican marks are the commonly accepted international currencies and almost every port in the Opal accepts them as payment.

Collective ports do not accept empirical crowns, and the Githian Empire do not accept knife money in their ports.

Daric coins will vary with motifs depending on what tribe has minted them.

Yes, you can find shards that are sharp enough to injure someone, and yes, there have been recorded cases of people being killed by these coins. Just as the drow like it.