Currency and Prices

Types:

Copper piece (CP), silver piece (SP), electrum piece (EP), gold piece (GP), platinum piece (PP)

1 platinum piece = 10 gold pieces

1 gold piece = 10 silver pieces

1 silver piece = 10 copper pieces

Electrum pieces are not commonly used; one is worth five silver pieces.

A standard coin weighs approximately one-third of an ounce, so fifty coins weigh about one pound.

DND Currency Purchasing Power Reference Table (for reference only):

1 copper piece = 1 pound of wheat

2 copper pieces = 2 pounds of flour or one chicken

5 copper pieces = 1 pound of salt

1 silver piece = 1 pound of iron or 1 square yard of canvas

5 silver pieces = 1 pound of copper or 1 square yard of cotton cloth

1 gold piece = 1 pound of ginger or one goat

2 gold pieces = 1 pound of cinnamon, pepper, or one sheep

3 gold pieces = 1 pound of cloves or one pig

5 gold pieces = 1 pound of silver or 1 square yard of linen

10 gold pieces = 1 pound of silk or one cow

15 gold pieces = 1 pound of saffron or one ox

50 gold pieces = 1 pound of gold

500 gold pieces = 1 pound of platinum

Note: The above is from the Dungeon Master's Guide 2024 Edition, Chapter 6.

Almost every major regime in Faerun has its own circulating currency: coins minted in their own unique styles, which possess both the value of the metal material itself and the value of the influence they represent.

Most coins of pure composition and standard weight can circulate throughout the continent, though not every city-state or nation bothers to mint every type of coin.

Some of the most common and widely used coins in the realms are summarized below. Each group below is listed in order of value: copper, silver, electrum, gold, and (if applicable) platinum.

Regardless of where the coins originate, most people traveling in Faerun use the names established at the time of their issuance, with the exception of Zhentil Keep—for some reason, every Zhentil coin has its own corresponding vulgar nickname.

· Amn: Fander, Taran, Centaur, Danter, Roldan

· Cormyr: Thumb, Falcon, Blue Eye, Golden Lion, Tricrown

· Sembia: Steelpence (an iron coin), Raven (triangular), Blue Eye (rhomboid), Noble (pentagonal)

· Silverymoon: Glint, Shield, Sword, Dragon, Unicorn

· Waterdeep: Nib, Shard, Sambar, Dragon, Sun

· Zhentil Keep: Fang ("dung-piece"), Talon/Naal ("flea-bit"), Tarenth ("hardhammer"), Glory ("weeping wolf"), Platinum Glory ("flat metal gem")

Silverymoon also mints two special types of currency: the "Moon" and the "Eclipsed Moon."

The Moon is a bright blue, crescent-shaped coin that is worth 2 Unicorns in Silverymoon and its surrounding settlements, but only 1 Unicorn elsewhere. The Eclipsed Moon consists of an electrum moon set against a darker silver shadow, combined to form a circular coin. It is worth 5 Unicorns in the city, but only 2 Unicorns elsewhere.

Waterdeep also has its own coins. The "Taol" is a square brass coin worth 2 Dragons in the city, but those who do not trade with Waterdeep rarely recognize its value. Those conducting business in Waterdeep usually exchange their Taols for standard currency before traveling elsewhere.

The "Harbor Moon" is a palm-sized, crescent-shaped platinum coin inlaid with electrum; it is worth 50 Dragons in the city and 30 Dragons elsewhere. It is typically used for the trade of large quantities of goods, which is the origin of its name. Both Taols and Harbor Moons have holes punched in them, allowing the bearer to string multiple coins together.

Baldur's Gate has set the standard for minting "Trade Bars." Trade bars are metal ingots (usually silver) used in place of large quantities of coins or gems for high-value transactions. The most common trade bar weighs 5 pounds and measures 6 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick, with each bar valued at 25 gp.