List of currencies

A pile of currency.

Most commerce on Golarion is transacted in some combination of gold, silver, and copper pieces. While rates might regionally vary, ten copper pieces are generally worth one silver piece, ten silver pieces are worth one gold piece, and ten gold pieces are worth one platinum piece.

Because of increased trade in the Inner Sea region, there has also been increased standardization of currency weight and pureness, to the point where nearly any coin of a given type minted in one country can be exchanged for a similar foreign coin. Such standardization efforts are among the financial services offered by the faithful of Abadar. Despite this useful standardization, each nation (and sometimes each city) mints its own currency.

On Golarion

Currency is often used in settlements of all sizes, but rural communities and traveling merchants might prefer to barter in trade goods such as wheat. Coins are also sometimes valued by collectors.

Absalom

Absalom's currency consists of copper pennies, silver weights, electrum crests, gold measures, and platinum sphinxes. The Absalom Mint collects, melts, and re-mints the coins of other nations.

Copper penny

Absalom does not regularly mint pennies, typically using varied denominations for minor transactions. Occasionally an adventuring party, hero, or other special event will be commemorated by a limited mintage of these coins.

Silver weight

A "weight", always of silver, is the standard unit of commerce in the Inner Sea region, even for very large transactions. The standardized coin was developed collaboratively between the church of Abadar and the Absalom Mint, selected for its relatively common metal and simple tests for purity.

Electrum crest

Absalom no longer mints crests, but some were created during ancient crises as coins of mixed silver, gold, and copper. They are accepted only in Absalom at the same value as a silver weight.

Gold measure

Absalom's coin is the weight of a full measure of gold, and the standard by which such coins are assessed.

Platinum sphinx

These "lion-coins" are used in exchanges between large mercantile houses, and depict the mother-sphinx on the obverse and Azlanti Keep on the reverse.

Dragons and linnorms greedily hoard gold coins.

Alkenstar

Alkenstar's official currency is an octagonal doubloon. Each coin has a unique serial number and the seal of the Grand Duchy of Alkenstar printed on it. The coins are called Luckies by Alkenstarians. Certain serial numbers on gold Luckies are considered especially lucky by eccentrics, gamblers, and inventors.

Andoran

In Andoran the coins are named copper caps, silver wolves, gold sails, and platinum falcons.

Brevoy

The people of Brevoy use copper bits, silver links, gold crowns, and platinum dragons.

Katapesh

The Katapeshi have copper grains, silver pennies, gold scarabs, and platinum genies. The Katapeshi copper grain in stamped with two sheafs of grain and features a central hole engraved with a sun, a symbol of Sarenrae, and is superstitiously suggested to repel undead. They are also considered lucky symbols of fortune among merchants of Lake Encarthan.

Numeria

Silverdisks are small etched silver disks frequently used in place of currency by the people of Numeria.

Osirion

The gold coins of Osirion are known as gold scarabs.

River Kingdoms

Pitax

Merchants deal in gold shivs in Pitax.

Varisia

Korvosa

A Korvosan gold sail.

The Bank of Abadar in the North Point district of Korvosa mints coins which are legal tender throughout Varisia. The names for the various coins are:

Copper pinch

Both the singular and plural term for the Korvosan copper coin is pinch and never pinches.

Silver shield

The silver coins are always referred to as silver shields, and never simply as silvers.

Gold sail

Like silver shields, gold coins are never abbreviated, and are always gold sails.

Platinum crown

The platinum coins are either platinum crowns or just crowns.

Magnimar

In Magnimar, gold sails are discussed and this is likely a reference to Korvosan currency, as Korvosan coins are legal tender throughout Varisia.

Oprak

The symbol of Oprak, which is stamped over reminted Molthuni currency.

Oprak remints currency formerly of Molhtune, such as the silver pieces engraved with a crossed sword and hammer, with the symbol of Oprak on the orders of the nation's leader Azaersi. Such silver pieces are known as Oprak Towers.

On other planes

Devils, demons, and night hags trade for or steal souls for eternal servitude or to use them as currency. In Erebus, souls are broken apart into soul fragments and used as currency.

Related works

Works and stories on the nature or use of currency on Golarion include:

• Coins & Commodities: The Key to Profit in the Inner Sea, by Tythildera "Tythi" Ilisirae, a barrister of Abadar who describes the role of Abadar in the Inner Sea region
• "Tale of the Misused Coins", a Chelaxian morality tale about upholding one's word and avoiding avarice.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.