Currency
The Merebian Empire trades a vast array of different products (anything from silk to slaves)over a landmass that dominates the known world.
In order to do this reliably it has established two very distinction forms of currency usually referred to as "mundane" and "precious".
Mundane Currency
Mundane currency is, essentially coinage. The Merebian Empire has several mints located in major cities, which produce coins of a precise and standardised size, weight, composition and design. This ensures that anyone trading in goods can ask for a set amount of coinage and know that they can use that coinage to purchase goods of equivelent value anywhere in Imperial controlled lands.
The coin names and types are as follows;
| Name | Metal | Value |
|---|---|---|
| As | Lead | 0.5 Unari |
| Unari | Copper | 1 Unari |
| Sestari | Bronze | 2.5 Unari |
| Denari | Silver | 10 Unari |
| Centari | Gold | 100 Unari |
The Imperial economy is based on the "Unari" standard. An Unari is a copper-based coin about the size of a UK 2p piece. As of the year 1221IE, 1 Unari will buy either one avearge-quality pint of ale, or two loaves of decent bread.
The actual precious metal content of the different coin types varies depending on how soft the "parent" metal is. For example, the 'As' and the 'Unari' are both about 50% lead and copper respectively, whereas the 'Centari' has a gold content of just over 10%.
