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Alberto_Magnus
Acolyte
Italy
19 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Feb 2025 : 15:10:10
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Hello sages.
As per the topic title: do we have official information on coinage in the Dales?
I did my homework and found on this forum a reference to " Dale and Silverdale pennies" here:
http://candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18807&SearchTerms=Dalelands,currency
But couldn't find any references to them in two sources I consulted:
- Volo's Guide to the Dalelands
- The Dalelands
Does anyone have references to canon coinage in the Dales?
As per the above topic, and it makes sense, Cormyrean thumbs, falcons and lions can't be rare, or Zhent fangs, but do they have their own mint? With names and such?
Thank you
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Edited by - Alberto_Magnus on 10 Feb 2025 15:10:48
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2460 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2025 : 00:44:58
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If coinage of the Dales existed, we would at least know it by name, no?
The Dales are mostly populated by barely organized rustics kept alive by divine intervention in the middle of a place permanently stuck just-shy-of-warzone. There are few and well known towns. Where exactly would they mint? Obviously, they don't.
Zhent coinage probably pops up, if only as loot from incursions, but gets ejected at the first opportunity via Sembia and ports, if only because of the funny looks it invites.
But any other coin that doesn't look too funny would go at its perceived intrinsic value, because why not?
Practically, coin would come in mostly from neighbours (Sembia, Cormir), other Sea of Fallen Stars coasts (Thay, Vilhon Reach, Chessenta, etc), and via Moonsea caravans from further East (all the way to Damara) and West. So, anything and everything. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Alberto_Magnus
Acolyte
Italy
19 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2025 : 07:31:30
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
If coinage of the Dales existed, we would at least know it by name, no?
That's why I asked :D
Maybe someone knew what I don't.
So yes, external coinage only.
Sounds about right, but I believe it'd create some confusion.
Coinage is convenient because all coins of a kind weigh the same (gold, silver or copper) and of course they have a standard value of 1 (except of course, i.e. Cormyrean Tricrowns).
Still, that reference to Dales pennies is interesting and I'd like to know where it comes from. I think some towns in the Dales are large enough to have a mint.
I know it's an ultra-specific matter but 1) well I'm curious and always hungry for all the tiniest details in the realms and 2) One of the 2 campaigns I am running involves Zhents smuggling false coinage in Mistledale and so I started wondering... |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11964 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2025 : 13:24:41
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I think Tbeholder has it rightly. The dales aren't organized. There's barely anyone there in comparison to other locales that do their own minting. Now, there might be some yahoo who used to run a mint for X country nearby whose made it his personal hobby to take other people's pennies and run it through a "cogwork press" ..... kind of like you'll see vacation shops here that let you ruin a penny and turn it into something that maybe says Tennessee on one side and a picture of a bear on the other..... and he gets his kicks by giving these out as payment to locals who smile, collect enough to melt down into trade bars, etc... but I can't see "sanctioned by the council of the dales for redistribution to other locales... and thereby we swear that this currency doesn't contain other metals, etc...." happening.
Now, if there WERE such an individual, he's probably only doing this with certain copper and silver coins.... probably from the country he USED to work for .... and probably because they sacked him for forgery and that pissed him off. Of course, noone KNOWS he got sacked for forgery.... you know because the aforementioned mint in ... say Sembia ... doesn't want the outside world to know that they were forging money .... nor that whomever sacked him is CONTINUING to use his presses in secret to commit their own forgery. Obviously, the dalesman had to come to the dales because for a time he was being hunted because his sacking was .... ahem... so unofficial that it required the hiring of bounty killers (not bounty HUNTERS) of very dark repute. This former .... maybe Sembian ... minter was of course stupid enough to continue his coin making hobby because he quite simply can't help himself. He also got the bright idea that he could start making Dale Pennies and Silverdales out of impure scrap metal mixed with melted down coins from his former realm .... and of course he also knew where he had a huge cache of false copper and silver coins that he'd already forged from said realm that he could run through his little cogwork press. So, after working for a year, pushing out pennies to people who actually tested them and then realized "this guys is just some quaint cook", he started mixing in coins from his stash.
But of course, that's not happening. No, invariably not. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 13 Feb 2025 13:38:44 |
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Alberto_Magnus
Acolyte
Italy
19 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2025 : 15:57:15
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
I think Tbeholder has it rightly. The dales aren't organized. There's barely anyone there in comparison to other locales that do their own minting. Now, there might be some yahoo who used to run a mint for X country nearby whose made it his personal hobby to take other people's pennies and run it through a "cogwork press" ..... kind of like you'll see vacation shops here that let you ruin a penny and turn it into something that maybe says Tennessee on one side and a picture of a bear on the other..... and he gets his kicks by giving these out as payment to locals who smile, collect enough to melt down into trade bars, etc... but I can't see "sanctioned by the council of the dales for redistribution to other locales... and thereby we swear that this currency doesn't contain other metals, etc...." happening.
Now, if there WERE such an individual, he's probably only doing this with certain copper and silver coins.... probably from the country he USED to work for .... and probably because they sacked him for forgery and that pissed him off. Of course, noone KNOWS he got sacked for forgery.... you know because the aforementioned mint in ... say Sembia ... doesn't want the outside world to know that they were forging money .... nor that whomever sacked him is CONTINUING to use his presses in secret to commit their own forgery. Obviously, the dalesman had to come to the dales because for a time he was being hunted because his sacking was .... ahem... so unofficial that it required the hiring of bounty killers (not bounty HUNTERS) of very dark repute. This former .... maybe Sembian ... minter was of course stupid enough to continue his coin making hobby because he quite simply can't help himself. He also got the bright idea that he could start making Dale Pennies and Silverdales out of impure scrap metal mixed with melted down coins from his former realm .... and of course he also knew where he had a huge cache of false copper and silver coins that he'd already forged from said realm that he could run through his little cogwork press. So, after working for a year, pushing out pennies to people who actually tested them and then realized "this guys is just some quaint cook", he started mixing in coins from his stash.
But of course, that's not happening. No, invariably not.
Ahahah I loved your answer 
I tend to agree.
Good hooks for multiple stories... this unlikely Sembian minter could be of great interest for the Zhent scam... especially if some - let's say one in ten - coins were magically altered to work as impromptu scrying devices... |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11964 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2025 : 19:10:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Alberto_Magnus
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
I think Tbeholder has it rightly. The dales aren't organized. There's barely anyone there in comparison to other locales that do their own minting. Now, there might be some yahoo who used to run a mint for X country nearby whose made it his personal hobby to take other people's pennies and run it through a "cogwork press" ..... kind of like you'll see vacation shops here that let you ruin a penny and turn it into something that maybe says Tennessee on one side and a picture of a bear on the other..... and he gets his kicks by giving these out as payment to locals who smile, collect enough to melt down into trade bars, etc... but I can't see "sanctioned by the council of the dales for redistribution to other locales... and thereby we swear that this currency doesn't contain other metals, etc...." happening.
Now, if there WERE such an individual, he's probably only doing this with certain copper and silver coins.... probably from the country he USED to work for .... and probably because they sacked him for forgery and that pissed him off. Of course, noone KNOWS he got sacked for forgery.... you know because the aforementioned mint in ... say Sembia ... doesn't want the outside world to know that they were forging money .... nor that whomever sacked him is CONTINUING to use his presses in secret to commit their own forgery. Obviously, the dalesman had to come to the dales because for a time he was being hunted because his sacking was .... ahem... so unofficial that it required the hiring of bounty killers (not bounty HUNTERS) of very dark repute. This former .... maybe Sembian ... minter was of course stupid enough to continue his coin making hobby because he quite simply can't help himself. He also got the bright idea that he could start making Dale Pennies and Silverdales out of impure scrap metal mixed with melted down coins from his former realm .... and of course he also knew where he had a huge cache of false copper and silver coins that he'd already forged from said realm that he could run through his little cogwork press. So, after working for a year, pushing out pennies to people who actually tested them and then realized "this guys is just some quaint cook", he started mixing in coins from his stash.
But of course, that's not happening. No, invariably not.
Ahahah I loved your answer
I tend to agree.
Good hooks for multiple stories... this unlikely Sembian minter could be of great interest for the Zhent scam... especially if some - let's say one in ten - coins were magically altered to work as impromptu scrying devices...
Thank you. But I have to ask the question, why magically alter forgeries? If anything, one wants to NOT draw attention to forgeries. Why not use the real thing? Presuming of course that the minting process itself isn't a part of the magically altering it. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Alberto_Magnus
Acolyte
Italy
19 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2025 : 20:02:57
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Alberto_Magnus
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
I think Tbeholder has it rightly. The dales aren't organized. There's barely anyone there in comparison to other locales that do their own minting. Now, there might be some yahoo who used to run a mint for X country nearby whose made it his personal hobby to take other people's pennies and run it through a "cogwork press" ..... kind of like you'll see vacation shops here that let you ruin a penny and turn it into something that maybe says Tennessee on one side and a picture of a bear on the other..... and he gets his kicks by giving these out as payment to locals who smile, collect enough to melt down into trade bars, etc... but I can't see "sanctioned by the council of the dales for redistribution to other locales... and thereby we swear that this currency doesn't contain other metals, etc...." happening.
Now, if there WERE such an individual, he's probably only doing this with certain copper and silver coins.... probably from the country he USED to work for .... and probably because they sacked him for forgery and that pissed him off. Of course, noone KNOWS he got sacked for forgery.... you know because the aforementioned mint in ... say Sembia ... doesn't want the outside world to know that they were forging money .... nor that whomever sacked him is CONTINUING to use his presses in secret to commit their own forgery. Obviously, the dalesman had to come to the dales because for a time he was being hunted because his sacking was .... ahem... so unofficial that it required the hiring of bounty killers (not bounty HUNTERS) of very dark repute. This former .... maybe Sembian ... minter was of course stupid enough to continue his coin making hobby because he quite simply can't help himself. He also got the bright idea that he could start making Dale Pennies and Silverdales out of impure scrap metal mixed with melted down coins from his former realm .... and of course he also knew where he had a huge cache of false copper and silver coins that he'd already forged from said realm that he could run through his little cogwork press. So, after working for a year, pushing out pennies to people who actually tested them and then realized "this guys is just some quaint cook", he started mixing in coins from his stash.
But of course, that's not happening. No, invariably not.
Ahahah I loved your answer
I tend to agree.
Good hooks for multiple stories... this unlikely Sembian minter could be of great interest for the Zhent scam... especially if some - let's say one in ten - coins were magically altered to work as impromptu scrying devices...
Thank you. But I have to ask the question, why magically alter forgeries? If anything, one wants to NOT draw attention to forgeries. Why not use the real thing? Presuming of course that the minting process itself isn't a part of the magically altering it.
Precisely.
And there is also a win-win situation for the Zhents who are spreading these coins in Ashabenford:
- The coins that pass for good ones are either stored at some shops or go around the town (good for general information). If they get lucky, they'll spread to other Dales.
- Those that are spotted as false where do they go? For sure they are kept for a while, probably at the headquarters of the Riders of Mistledale, somewhere near the jail, where the stolen, counterfeit or confiscated goods are stored... |
Edited by - Alberto_Magnus on 14 Feb 2025 00:05:03 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11964 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2025 : 21:16:21
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| Got where you're going now... get the coins where you want to scry, and since they may be considered counterfeit... you know where they'll go |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Dalelands currency?
