The dwarves have a culturally pure monetary system since they conducted virtually no trade with outside cultures until only a few hundred years ago. Since dwarves cling stubbornly to tradition, this system of currency has remained unchanged.
Raw iron forms the backbone of dwarven currency. A dwarf plucks his own wealth from the ground with his own hands. Purified iron is used as wealth based on weight. This follows the dwarven belief that hard work is rewarded and the lazy should go hungry.
Beyond mining iron from the ground as wealth, dwarves use large and decorative coins. The krona is a large copper coin with intricate etchings. It is the least valuable and most common coin. Forty krona equal one kegran. A kegran is a large silver coin with an embedded jewel. Usually a ruby or emerald. Seven kegran equal a mourin. A mourin is a highly decorative golden disk about seven inches in diameter. A mourin is etched with runes and simple images. It is almost always crusted with small gems. A mourin is more like a small work of art than a coin. Many dwarves specialize in the manufacture of these items. Others pay for them with raw iron.
While dwarven currency is prized in many nations for the materials and workmanship that go into them, the dwarves themselves care little for the money of other nations and usually melt such coins down for the metal.
This page last updated Monday, October 08, 2007. Copyright 1990-2008 David M. Roomes.