In the ancient past of Khoras, wealth and commodities were either taken from the weak by the strong or, in more civilized fashion, exchanged through trade and barter. And although trade and barter is still used in some cultures in Ithria, it is limited. Trade and barter become complex and unwieldy when too many variables such as the variety of commodities, availability of goods and the needs of the people are involved.
Barter is a means of direct exchange of one good for another. The use of money creates an indirect exchange. A farmer spends money to buy a wagon. This common transaction is easy to understand. What is not ordinarily noticed is that the person who sells the wagon for money is at the same time using the wagon to buy money, which is no more than a substitute for all possible products and services.
Money first came to be used most than 4,000 years ago during the Age of Dawning. People who wanted to trade goods and services gradually realized that exchange would be easier if there were some single commodity that everyone would accept as valuable.
There are many things that might work as money. But above them all, there is one thing that all cultures consider valuable : metal. Specifically, three precious metals : gold, silver, and copper. They are all valued for their uses, and they are highly regarded because of their scarcity. Since gold is the scarcest, it is more highly valued than the other two. It is important to note that these three metals are rare enough to be valuable but common enough to work as a universally exchangeable medium.
While there are substances on Khoras that are much more rare and are more highly prized by all cultures, most are too rare to work as a ready and recognizable currency. When such substances do become available, they can command exorbitant prices.
Gold and silver have advantages over other kinds of goods. First, they have universal purchasing power. That is, everyone agrees they are valuable. Second, they can be molded into a variety of sizes and shapes to stand for a variety of different values. Third, they are very durable; they will not rust or decay; they can be stored for long periods of time. Fourth, since even small amounts of these metals are valuable, it is easy to carry them around.
Currency is a complicated subject, made more complicated by the fact that most nations agree that currency in one form or another is necessary , but cannot agree on a standard. It is for this reason that there is such diversity in the manner in which nations store and use their wealth. What follows is a description of the major systems of currency in use from the most prominent to the least.
| Aukarian | Currency of the Aukarian republic. |
| Avarian | Currency of the Avarians. |
| Carrikos | The enchanted coinage of the Carrikos Theocracy. |
| Chaddamar | The six sided coins of the Chaddamar Theocracy. |
| Corvenia | The enchanted crystal shards used as currency in Corvenia. |
| Drakkellian | The most widely used standard coinage in Ithria. |
| Dwarven | The coins and treasures used by the dwarves of the underworld. |
| Kalimuran | The currency of Kalimura, the only paper currency used in Ithria. |
| Magrakian | The coins of the Magrakians. |
| Northern | Common coins used in the northern of Ithria. |
| Padashi | The coins used by the Great Padashan Empire. |
| Primitive | Primitive currency systems included mixed currencies and purely trade and barter system. |
| Quaryn | The coins of the Kingdom of Anquar. |
| Rukemian | The currency used in the Great Rukemian Empire. |
| Saridian | Credit vouchers... a paper currency used by the Saridians. |
| Sybrenar | The imperial standard coin of the Sybrenar. |
| Tomarin | The many coins used by the Iron Lords. |
| Vaullian | The highly prized coins of the Vaullians. |
This page last updated Monday, October 08, 2007. Copyright 1990-2008 David M. Roomes.