Currency in Calabria

Various forms of currency exist for use in purchase and transaction throughout Calabria. While not all the history of coinage is available, some major points of the current mode of payment are spoken of at length in *Ironclaw*.

The current-day Calabria bases its coinage off of a silver standard, utilizing the Rinaldi ***denar*** as its base monetary unit. As such, much of the coinage seen in modern Calabria is produced in Triskellian.

## History

Though no clear date is stated for when the Rinaldi first started using currency, it is known that in the 1st and 2nd Centuries, the Rinaldi paid the wages of their armies using the silver ***quincunx***, which was later used in the 3rd Century exclusively to pay tribute to the Doloreaux. The Rinaldi were also known to have issued ornamental coins known as ***Radiates*** which were also supposedly used as currency.

Initially, the Rinaldi tightly controlled the mints, allowing them to lower and raise the value of their coinage to their desire. This dominion over currency was generally disliked by the Major Houses of Calabria alike, but this would end somewhere in the year *515 Al'M*, when the Don of the Rinaldi issued, with some influence by the Major Houses, the Minters Guild Act, a charter which handed over all rights to mint and distribute coins in Calabria solely to the Minters Guild of Triskellian. Under this charter, coins like the quincunx and radiate were considered banned for use as currency; though there is implication that the quincunx still sees some use.

## Current Calabrese coins

Then the Minters Guild Act was officially passed, three coins were accepted as the main mode of currency to be used in Calabria: the ***denar***, the ***aureal***, and the ***orichalk***.

### Denar

The denar (*plural* denarii) forms the basis of Calabrese currency. According to the Minters Guild guidelines, one denar (represented by the symbol **Ð**) is considered equivalent compensation for "one day of unskilled labor". Every denar is made of pure silver and weighs exactly 4.5 grams. The coin itself bears the image of the current Don on one side, and on the other, the year of the coin's minting as well as the acronym RURU (*rex una, republicus una*, or "one rule, one people" in Magniloquentia.)

### Aureal

Though the aureal existed prior to the Minters Guild Act, they were wildly varied and inconstant in appearance. After 515, the aureal was standardized to be defined as a solid-gold coin weighted at 6.3 grams and valued at exactly 24Ð. Their design features the three seashells that make up the Rinaldi crest on one side, while the other depicts the Royal Palace at Triskellian in the center, with "24Ð" above it to indicate the coin's value, and the year of the coin's mint below the central palace.

### Orichalk

Approximately pronounced *"orikalk"* (/ˌɔːrɪˈkælk/), the orichalk is a small coin made out of a bronze alloy that resembles copper. It is considered a sub-unit of denar, valuing at exactly 12 orichalks to 1Ð. They feature a triskele on one side, and "1/12" to indicate its value alongside the year it was minted on the other. The weight of one orichalk is never explicitly stated.

### Fibula

(plural *fibulae*) Prior to his death in *818 Al'M,* Duke Tremaine de Bisclavret, in direct challenge to the rule of Don Fidelio di Rinaldi, minted his own type of coin called the fibula. The coin is described as being copper with a silver plating, bearing the profile of Duke Tremaine on one side. Fibulae are valued at approximately 4Ð apiece. Though technically still in circulation, the fibula has been very quickly devalued by counterfeit "copper-nose" coins whose silver veneer can be easily rubbed off to reveal the cheaper metal underneath. As a result of this, fibula are rarely, if ever, accepted outside of Bisclavret.

## Coins no longer in circulation

### Quincunx

Quincunx (whose name literally means "five twelfths", or 5/12) was considered outlawed from use by the Minters Guild in 515. As a standard, a quincunx was considered to be a silver coin weighing at approximately 13.5 grams. The faces of the coins are generally inconsistent, ranging from the Rinaldi crest, to the contemporary Don, as well as, occasionally, Doloreaux nobility. Though never explicitly said, it is implied that the original purpose of the quincunx was for use in large transactions, as the coin was largely phased out at the same time that gold began to replace silver as the mode for valuable purchases. The original approximate value of the quincunx was 5Ð, but in the current day it is valued at 3Ð, being approximately that weight in silver.

### Radiate

Radiates were considered "vanity coins" that were also admissible as currency. The coin's metallic composition is never explicitly stated, and can perhaps be assumed to vary from coin to coin. The coins are said to be sizeable, weighing around 12.6 grams, with a rare few being as heavy as 18.9g. The coins themselves depicted royalty or friends of the Rinaldi court, and most show the head crowned with radiating lines of light, earning the coin its name. In the current day, they are considered valueless, their only applications being either to be melted down or sold to collectors.

## Other forms of currency in Triskellian

Within Calabria, several other forms of exchange exist:

### Promissory Notes

*Promissory notes* are a form of bank check generally issued by the banks of Calabria and within the Merchants Guild. In terms of design, it is roughly described as a piece of paper, signed, and stamped with a signet ring as well as the seal of the merchant house that authorizes it. Promissory notes may be cashed in at any Guild-tied bank, though most charge 1Ð to cash the note, and an additional 1Ð for notes whose value is in excess of 100Ð or more. Due to this, most consider promissory notes to only be worth issuing in the case of values at or higher than 48Ð (or 2 aureals). Promissory notes can also be signed to only be cashed by a certain party, which helps deter thieves.

### Gold Ingots

Favored largely by merchants, pure gold bars are often used in trade transactions. Though bars can appear in any size, customarily gold ingots weigh in at 453.6g (1/14 Stone) and are worth 1,728Ð (72 aureals). By law, all metal ingots must be stamped with the seal of the foundry that minted it, as well as the weight of that ingot, to ensure the ingot cannot be shaved off to be sold for more than its weight.

### Jewels

Jewels are an uncommon, but still valid means of barter. No standard exists for the value of a jewel, but they are considered extremely useful for their portability and their universal status as a valuable.

### *Bunne-de-at*

Used customarily in Phelan, which does not recognize the value of Calabrese coins, these small silver earrings are considered a universal bartering medium. Often carried by wearing them, *bunne-de-at* are valued at approximately 4Ð in silver (implying they weigh in at around 18 grams apiece), though even in Phelan their trade value is dependent on haggling. Bisclavret law specifically bans their use, and most Calabrese merchants will melt them down and have them sold by weight instead.

## Trivia

The *orichalk* was not introduced into *Ironclaw* until the second edition. Its purpose is never explicitly stated, but due to the fact that the price of goods was altered between 1e and 2e, it can be assumed that it was introduced to adjust the comparative buying power of the denar.

## Book Sources

1. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pgs. 88-89
2. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pgs. 179-180
3. ↑ *Ironclaw, First Edition*, pgs. 106-111
4. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pgs. 91-108