Currency of the Warhammer World
Currency is a medium of exchange for goods or services across the Warhammer World. [1][2a]
Exchange rates for coins from other lands tend to be subject to ethnic bigotries, racial animosities and a variety of prejudices no matter that the human nations and their trade partners use similar weights and measures to help facilitate trade. In addition, forgery remains a widespread problem in the Empire. [2d]
Contents
Araby
Coins from Araby tend to have crossed scimitars on their gold coins, rearing stallions on the silver and the crescent moon on the bronze. These are often found in the Border Princes, Estalia and Tilea. [2d]
Dwarfs
They use three coins like the Empire with the gold coin having a intricate rendering of the Book of Grudges. Clan symbols are found on the front of sivler and brass coins with the minting date on the reverse. [2c]
Elves
Ocassionally ancient silver leafs are found in the Old World and are believed to the currency used by the Elves before the rise of humanity. [2f] In modern times, both the High Elves and Wood Elves use coins to trade with human nations. [2c] Wood Elf coins have oak leaves decorating their gold, maple on the silver and birch, fruit or pecan on the bronze or copper. High Elf coins show Dragons, Pegasi or architecture. [2d]
Ind
The Tilean explorer Nigel Francisco claims to have visited Ind and brought back small ivory pieces depicting animals of people which he says are called Suvarna and used as currency there. [2e]
Norsca
Few coins are minted in the hard north and many in circulation are from other nations, obtained in raids or trade. Those that are minted are known as sceattas if silver and pfennig if bronze. Gold is normally reserved for jewellery. The Silver coins often have a king circled by runes and the bronze are divided into four quarters each with its own rune: conquest, courage, death and strength. [2c]
Old World
Actual coin is relatively scarce with many people relying instead on the batering and trading services - so a butcher might claim a portion of animal in exchange for cleaning and dressing it. Whilst a peasant will of course accept coin for any srvices they provide, this is likely to be a infrequent transaction. [2a]
National Denominations
By the early 2500s, the human nations of the Old World use similar coins made from similar materials. In general they all have a gold coin, a silver coin and copper coin equivalent to the Gold Crown, Silver Shilling and Brass Penny of the Empire. Images on the coin themselves vary hugely from nation to nation and sayings, adulations and praises may also appear on them. [2a]
- Border Princes: Although the many and varied nations usually do not mint their own coinage, they accept coins from many nations with those of the Empire being the most common in circulation. [2a]
- Bretonnia: Notable for their simple but elegant design, the gold coins are called ecu and have the bust of Gilles le Breton, the silver or denier have his coat of arms and the bronze and pewter penny have the coat of arms of the Duchy producing them. [2a]
- Empire: The majority of coins in circulation in the Old World are produced by the Empire with all of the major cities producing their own currency which meet the specfications laid down in Nuln. The front of the coin almost always displays a profile of the relevant Elector Count with the back having many and varied designs. [2b]
- Altdorf: Crowns in the current capital are known as Karls or Shiners. Designs on the rear include the Imperial Griffon rampant or a deathly figue commemorating the cities successful defence during the Vampire Wars. [2b]
- Hochland: The gold coin often has a bow, horn or the famous Long Rifle on the rear whilst the silver and copper often display a bear, stoat or stag. [2b]
- Middenheim: Coins of the city all have the running wolf to highlight their links to Ulric. Some also have the four-gated citadel or key to commemorate the gate wardens. [2b]
- Nuln: The Crown has the crest of the famous Gunnery School on the rear and the Emperor on the front. Other coins often have the cities bridge or cannon. [2b]
- Ostland: Coins usually have the bull or the Dragon Bow on their rear. [2b]
- Stirland: The face of Queen Freya [2b] from the time of Sigmar is on the front of the shilling. [2c]
- Talabheim: Although all coins minted in the city have antlers or a twisted tree with antler like branches, many, especially shillings show images of the river on the reverese. Crowns have the twin-tailed comet of Sigmar. [2c]
- Wissenland: The sun is often show on their coins after Solland was absorbed by the province. [2c]
- Estalia: Gold coins are called excelente, silver real and bronze or copper duro. The excelente have a castle on the front and the crest of the ruling family of the city-state where it was minted. real have its minting date on the rear and a fish on the front whilst the duro have a scale on the face and a banner of the kingdoms on the rear. [2c]
- Kislev: Gold coins are named ducat and have the profile of the ruling Tzarina or Tzar with the Royal Palace on the reverese. They are also notable for their high quality, with the original dies said to have been made by the Dwarfs. The silver coin is called the denga and the copper is the pulo with a eagle on the back and a bear's head on the face. [2c]
- Tilea: In ancient times the Tileans used talents, gold rectangles in trade which could be broken into smaller pieces. [2f] Each of the city-states mark their coins with very different designs and in modern times they use the same Crown, Shilling and Penny nomenclature as the Empire. [2c]
Gallery
Ancient Elf Silver Leaf
Coins of the Empire
Pulo of Kislev
Tilean Coin
Suvarna from Ind
Wood Elf coin
Sources
