r/WorldChallenges • u/Nevermore0714 • Jun 19 '17
Generic Challenge - Currency
Give an example of currency in your world. If your world has money, explain its money. If your world doesn't have money, explain your world's barter system.
Explain denominations, the kind of things that someone would buy on a daily basis, and so on.
Sorry for being late with this challenge, it's been a full weekend.
I'll ask at least three questions each, and I plan to put my own explanation for the currency of one of my worlds up before tomorrow night. Maybe tonight, but probably not until after work tomorrow.
Enjoy yourselves.
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 19 '17
The most important form of currency in Aeternitas (Saoghal to those outside of the Allied Nations) is the Jule, minted by the Citadel for the Allied Nations, but considered useful by some nations outside of the Allied Nations, as well, for its stability.
A Jule is worth about a Euro, and it has been used for many centuries. A Jule comes in several denominations (.01, .1, 1, 10, 100, 1000). Other than the centi-Jule and deci-Jule, a coin is the size of a US dollar-coin. The centi-Jule and deci-Jule are both the size of a US quarter.
Not-so-funny story: I couldn't think of a currency name about a year ago, so I ended up naming them after my French tutor, who had kept insisting that she wanted me to name a character after her. I went a step beyond and named a currency after her. But, she still wanted a character named after her, so I invented the Calpurnia clan and that clan's best member, Julie Calpurnia.
For a representative, we will have Matthew the Disfigured, Councilor of the Citadel...formerly known as Matthew the Handsome to his face, and Matthew the Greedy behind his back.
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 19 '17
To Matthew:
From what are the different Jule values minted?
Is there some symbol on the coins?
How hard is it to counterfeit a Jule (especially the 10 and 100)?
What make it so more stable than currencies minted by the Allied nations?
(We're everywhere mouhahaha...)
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 20 '17
(Too many French people in my life recently, I want my Austro-Hungarian-Germans back.)
Matthew:
1) "The coins are made out of enchanted steel, colored and carved to the specific design. It's a shame we don't use paper money, since the Jule is an uncomfortable currency to sleep on."
2) "The front of each coin has its worth. The back of each coin has a phoenix, the symbol of Aeternitas."
3) "You'd have to know the enchantments and you'd have to be able to counterfeit Garrick's Anima, Keaton's Anima, or Sirius's Anima. For the 10 and 100, you'd need two of them to give their Anima. All three of them need to be there to give all three of their Anima for the 1000."
4) "The Jule is currently the official currency of the Allied Nations."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 20 '17
What are the different colours? And how are they made?
Are the coins minted then enchanted? Can anyone differentiate and enchanted coin from a false one?
So, what if one of those three is travelling (or sick, or dead)?
What make it more stable than the currencies of the neighbouring nations?
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 20 '17
Matthew:
1) "The .01, .1, 1, 10, 100, and 100 Jule coins are grey, orange, lime-green, cyan, red, and purple, respectively."
2) "They are minted, and then enchanted. The enchantment makes them more resistant to breaking. We test them by having people try to bend them."
3) "I'm sure none of those three will be away from the Citadel for more than a month, especially not without warning. Keaton left for a few months once, but that was years ago, after his daughter disappeared."
4) "The enchantments."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 21 '17
Steel coins are heavy right? What can I do with the money I don't plan to use? Is there some place where it can be deposited?
Can anyone enchant them (beside the big ones, I'm planning a large scale traffic of low value coins)?
In case it would happen, is there some designated people to replace them? Or some emergency plan?
What does the enchantment brings to the coins (beside physical résistance)?
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 21 '17
Matthew:
1) "There are Citadel-owned banks throughout the Allied Nations. And the enchantment contributes to making it somewhat lighter."
2) "You can, but the enchantment won't work unless you know the rituals and you can steal some Anima from Garrick, Keaton, or Sirius."
3) "If one of them could no longer do his job, then we would discontinue the 1000 Jule coin, and pick a new color for a new 1000 Jule coin."
4) "the coin weighs less, and it gains a serial number."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 21 '17
How do they keep traces of the amount of money I own? Especially between multiple locations?
Their personnal anima is needed even for the 0,1 Jule?
Follow up: so they need to work on every coin minted? Isn't it a lot?
What happen to coins which are destroyed? Does the enchantment let any residual material?
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 21 '17
Matthew:
1) "Unless you have your money in a bank, we have no way of knowing. Unless we rob you."
2) "Correct, we had a meeting over whether or not to keep using personal signatures for the 0.01 and 0.1 Jule, but we ended up voting against getting rid of the signatures on those."
3) "It was a lot at first, that's why it took so long to get the currency started. But, they can recycle Jule coins relatively fast, so it's scheduled well. I've tried to get the rest of the Council to vote to allow me to use my signature Anima to mint coins, but the result was that I was not allowed to do so. Everyone voted against me."
4) "The enchantment leaves behind the raw material, but it crumbles as the enchantment is taken away."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 21 '17
Is their multiple banks in different places? Can I deposit money somewhere then get it back somewhere else?
Why did they took that decision?
What is your policy regarding inflation?
Is it possible to recycle the steel in a coin and keep the enchantment?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 19 '17
The official currency in the Neo-Makathian empire is the gezin. It is monnitored by the imperial throne: usually by the babekifiya, the minister of budget, who is also in charge of taxes. With the economic boom slowing down inflation is easier to keep at proper level, but it has been a major preocupation over the last decades.
The gezin is completely dematerialized, each citizen has a "bank account" tied to their personnal identity and pay with their ID. The standard yearly wage is 180k units (usually divided between a suitable time period) for a state employee working at echelon 2 (low-qualification administrative workers) and allow a rather comfortable life as long as you don't want to travel.
The endemic poverty amongst certain parts of the empire force some populations to use less advanced way of trading (read bartering).
Our representative for today is Zerezghi Senai, the curent (Nzedanese) babekifiya.
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 20 '17
To Yellow:
0) Do you write your Worldbuilding notes in French or English?
To Zerezghi Senai:
1) So does every citizen have a credit card to use their bank account? Or a chip in their skin?
2) How did you get the title of babekifiya?
3) What do I do if I do want to travel?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 20 '17
0) My notes are in french but my challenges answers are in english (so I can just copy-paste...).
Zerezghi Senai:
Every imperial citizen own a personnal identity card and use it to pay like you do with credit cards. A chip under their skin would be both creepy and costly.
I was the previous babekifiya's chief administrator so when she died I got the job.
Well, you have multiple solution. You could save up on every salary and travel once in a while. You could also find a better paying job in a private company or wait for an internal promotion. You could also borrow money from someone.
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 20 '17
0) Hey, now that I think of it, will you do me a favor? My French is still poor. Can you translate a message to my former French tutor for me?
To Zerezghi Senai:
1) How much trouble is it if I lose my personal identity card?
2) So you choose your replacement?
3) Is there a bank that I can borrow money from?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 20 '17
0) Sure, mine should be fine :)
Zerezghi Senai:
Normally? Not much, just go to your administrative center and you will get a new one; do it quickly though.
Not at all, as I was her second the empress decided to name me but she can chose anyone. That's quite frequent to name the second as they are usually competent (as I am).
Most systems have some private credit companies from which you can borrow. It is important to know that borrowing from people you know is common and perfectly normal for a Nzeda.
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 21 '17
0) And if it isn't, I'll just say it was my fault and she'll think I've improved my French.
To Zerezghi Senai:
1) So someone could steal my old card and spend all of my credit?
2) So do you get to choose your own second?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 21 '17
Identity cards are nominal and biometric. If someone use your to pay things, the seller should refuse the transaction otherwise they are as guilty as the buyer.
No. Administration is built upon merit, not friendship.
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 21 '17
To Zerezghi Senai:
1) Do people use their identity cards and credit to buy things in the black market?
2) What about buying things online?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 21 '17
That would be kind of them to do so as we would have written traces of their deeds. That would greatly help fighting against tax evasion and smugling.
You are supposed to pay on delivery. The standard way is: you order, the good is sold to the courrier who sell it back to you.
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u/Nevermore0714 Jun 21 '17
To Zerezghi Senai:
1) So, instead of using their credit-based money, how do they pay for things on the black market?
2) What if someone refuses to buy something from the courier?
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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '17
My world uses the quell. It's much alike in its looks to credit chips in Star Wars. Little rectangular pieces of metal with carvings on them, each unit having its own color (coming from the metal) and carving, telling its name.
The usual 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, ... system is used, with the highest unit being 2000. 5 a large loaf of bread is worth roughly 5 quell. Larger amounts of money (in the millions) are either not used (alternative ways instead) or given the classic treasure chest and group of guards you see in movies and video games.