Time and Magic (Do GB`s exist?)

[Kenneth Gauck]

- -----Original Message-----
From: Pieter A de Jong
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 1998 10:42 AM


> In my own campaign, gold bars don't actually exist. They are used as a
>unit of measurement, but are composed of actual currency (ie. chests of
coin,
>and in some cases, gems and jewelry).


I take the same approach. In France there was a similar thing called an
ecu: a value of money not actually represented in coinage. The ecu was
equivalent to 5 livre (if I recall correctly), though the higest coin
actually minted was the livre. Likewise the Greeks had a thing called a
talent, which was equivalent to any amount of currency valued at 57 pounds
of gold.

Since states deal in such large numbers they often have recourse to invent
units above what would be practical.

Kenneth Gauck
c558382@earthlink.net

[James Knevitt]

- --
> > In my own campaign, gold bars don't actually exist. They are used
as a
> >unit of measurement, but are composed of actual currency (ie.
chests of
> coin,
> >and in some cases, gems and jewelry).


One thing I think TSR didn't realise when they developed the concept
of the GB was the size of the thing. These things are equivalent to
2000 gp, right ? Thus it would be logical to say that 1 GB would
contain the same amount of gold as 2000 gp. Traditionally, a single
gold coin was usually 1/10 lb. in weight. Logically thinking, that
makes a GB 200lbs. in weight !
That's the weight of quite a large person !!!

James Knevitt
Critical Mass Studios
(Makers of the Soothsayer multi-genre RPG)
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[Kai Beste]

> > In my own campaign, gold bars don't actually exist. They are used as a
> >unit of measurement, but are composed of actual currency (ie. chests of
> coin,
> >and in some cases, gems and jewelry).
>
>
> I take the same approach. In France there was a similar thing called an
> ecu: a value of money not actually represented in coinage. The ecu was
> equivalent to 5 livre (if I recall correctly), though the higest coin
> actually minted was the livre. Likewise the Greeks had a thing called a
> talent, which was equivalent to any amount of currency valued at 57 pounds
> of gold.
>
> Since states deal in such large numbers they often have recourse to invent
> units above what would be practical.

But do gold bars really have to be gold or gems? I think a regent
can't expect peasants to pay their taxes in gold. It is a common AD&D
myth that every farmer has a few gold coins lying around somewhere.
Fact is, most people have never even seen that much gold. IMHO gold
bars are just a measurement of the regent's wealth. There just isn't
that much coinage floating around in medieval societies. Sure, a part
of it is chests of coins (not necessarily gold, silver is much
more common) and gems, but also herds of cattle or horses, bolt
of cloth, money invested in business ventures, the medieval
equivalent of grain silos (a wise regent plans ahead for bad times)
and what have you not. This also makes it more difficult even for
regents who are filthy rich to spent loads of money, since a good
part of it will be tied up one way or the other.

just my 2 GB worth of beer

Kai

[Pieter Sleijpen]

Kai Beste wrote:
>
> > > In my own campaign, gold bars don't actually exist. They are used as a
> > >unit of measurement, but are composed of actual currency (ie. chests of
> > coin,
> > >and in some cases, gems and jewelry).
> >
> >
> > I take the same approach. In France there was a similar thing called an
> > ecu: a value of money not actually represented in coinage. The ecu was
> > equivalent to 5 livre (if I recall correctly), though the higest coin
> > actually minted was the livre. Likewise the Greeks had a thing called a
> > talent, which was equivalent to any amount of currency valued at 57 pounds
> > of gold.
> >
> > Since states deal in such large numbers they often have recourse to invent
> > units above what would be practical.
>
> But do gold bars really have to be gold or gems? I think a regent
> can't expect peasants to pay their taxes in gold. It is a common AD&D
> myth that every farmer has a few gold coins lying around somewhere.
> Fact is, most people have never even seen that much gold. IMHO gold
> bars are just a measurement of the regent's wealth. There just isn't
> that much coinage floating around in medieval societies. Sure, a part
> of it is chests of coins (not necessarily gold, silver is much
> more common) and gems, but also herds of cattle or horses, bolt
> of cloth, money invested in business ventures, the medieval
> equivalent of grain silos (a wise regent plans ahead for bad times)
> and what have you not. This also makes it more difficult even for
> regents who are filthy rich to spent loads of money, since a good
> part of it will be tied up one way or the other.
>

One of the reasons why finances is an action, it is free, but it is an
action non the less (maybe it should not be a free action?)