Edwinish Economics

RabidFox · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:37 pm Post subject: Edwinish Economics

This thread will explain the currency and worth of Edwinish coins of the Mediaeval age.

Edwinish Coins In Ascending Order of Value

Farthing (1/4 of a penny) (Made of Brass)
Halfpence (1/2 of a penny) (Made of Brass)
Penny (Made of Copper)
Twopence (2 pence) (Made of Copper)
Threepence (3 pence) (Made of Copper)
Sixpence (6 pence) (Made of Silver)
Shilling (12 pence) (Made of Silver)
Florin (2 shillings) (Made of Silver)
Half-Crown (2 shillings sixpence) (Made of Gold)
Crown (5 shillings) (Made of Gold)
Half-Sovereign (10 shillings) (Made of Gold)
Sovereign (20 shillings) (Made of Gold)
Guinea (21 shillings) (Made of Gold)

Edwinish Economics

Popular Values of Common Items

The purpose of the chart to follow this instructional text is to create a basis for the economy of Edwin. By introducing popularly accepted values of common, well-understood items, the rest of the economy automatically falls into place, creating an entire, functional web of economics. In order to understand and use the chart, think of the values as the popular standard, the commonly accepted norm, and not as fixed values.

For example, if a carton of eggs in America is typically priced at $1 USD, it would be considered extremely abnormal and an unthinkable rip-off for one carton of eggs to be priced at $100 USD, and no one would be ignorant or desperate enough to buy such a ridiculously priced carton of eggs. One carton of eggs priced at $10 USD would be treated with much less ridicule and rejection, yet at the same time would still be considered very overpriced, and unless it was the last carton of eggs within miles, no one would buy it. Even then, the consumer would have to be depeserate for eggs, and would be much more likely to simply go without eggs until the price dropped to a reasonable amount or another vendor offered eggs at a much cheaper price.

Looking at a different product, a brand new movie in DVD format is typically about $15 USD. This means that a DVD movie in America is worth fifteen cartons of eggs when a DVD movie and a carton of eggs are priced at popularly accepted norms. Examining yet another product, a nice coat when bought new is often about $50 USD. This means that a nice, new coat is worth three or four DVD movies, or fifty cartons of eggs. To put these values into an even broader perspective, a 20” tube television set is about $150 USD, which means that a 20” tube TV is worth three nice, new coats, or about ten DVD movies, or one-hundred-and-fifty cartons of eggs.

A Chart Listing Popular Values of Common Items

1 Vegetable.……….1 Farthing
1 Piece of Parchment………..1 Farthing
1 Low-powered Spell………..1 Farthing
1 Hammer………..Halfpence
Average Tip.……….1 Penny
1 Bag of Corn.…………. Twopence
1 Loaf of Bread.………….Threepence
1 Chicken (alive).…………. Sixpence
1 Pint of Ale.………….1 Shilling
1 Arrow.………….2 Shillings
1 Inn Room for 1 Night.………….1 Florin
Best Inn Room for 1 Night.………….3 Florins
1 Pair of Gloves.……….. Half-Crown
1 Halberd.……….. Half-Crown
1 Pair of Boots.………..1 Crown
Average Road Toll.………..One-and-a-Half-Crowns
1 Cloak.……….. Half-Sovereign
1 Helmet.………..1 Sovereign
Average Tax on Peasants.……….. One-and-a-Half-Sovereigns
Chain-Mail Armour.………..1 Guinea
Longsword.………..2 Guineas
Plate Armour.………..3 Guineas
1 Lance.………..5 Guineas
1 Horse.………..7 Guineas
1 Powerful Spell.………..10 Guineas
1 Properly Made Longbow.………..12 Guineas
Hiring 1 Hitman.………..15 Guineas
1 Crossbow.………..17 Guineas
1 Hovel.………..20 Guineas
1 Slave.………..25 Guineas
1 Large Oak Desk.………..30 Guineas
1 Sorceror-For-Hire.………..40 Guineas
A Full Complement of Servants.………..50 Guineas
Average Cost to Raise a Regiment of Men-At-Arms.………..60 Guineas
Two-Storey House.………..70 Guineas
1 Cart and Team of Horses.………..75 Guineas
1 Officer's Commission of the Edwinish Army.………..80 Guineas
1 Officer's Commission of the Royal Navy.………..90 Guineas
1 Lordship of the Manor, granting the title of 'My Lord'.………..100 Guineas
1 Manor-House.………..110 Guineas
8 Acres of Land.………..120 Guineas
1 Coal Mine.………..240 Guineas
Bribes For A Seat in Edwinish Parliament.………..350 Guineas
1 Mansion.………..360 Guineas
1 Masterpiece Painting.………..370 Guineas
Building a Great Shyppe.………..580 Guineas
Buying a Shipyard.………..890 Guineas
1 Village.………..1010 Guineas
1 Minor Highway (Income from Tolls).………..1220 Guineas
1 Castle.………..1230 Guineas
1 Major Highway (Income from Tolls).………..1260 Guineas
1 Town.………..2270 Guineas
1 Royal Palace.………..2300 Guineas
_________________
"Anything good in life is either illegal, immoral, or fattening." - Murphy's Law