Coins of Waterdeep
- Nib
- “Copper coin about the size of a thumbnail (1 nib = 1 common copper coin)”
- If the example is ¹⁄₂″ side-to-side (thumbnail size), then it’s ⁵⁄₈″ on the diagonal, and the single-surface area is ∼.24 sq.in.
- If the example is ³⁄₅″ side-to-side (fits inside taol), then it’s ³⁄₄″ on the diagonal, and the single-surface area is ∼.35 sq.in.
- If the example is ³⁄₄″ side-to-side (²⁄₃ of a dragon), then it’s ¹⁵⁄₁₆″ on the diagonal, and the single-surface area is ∼.54 sq.in.
- Shard
- “Silver coin, slightly smaller than the nib (1 shard = 10 nibs)”
- Taol
- “Brass coin, about two inches square with a hole large enough for a nib to fit in (1 taol = 200 nibs)”
- If the example is 2″ wide, then the hole diameter is ¾″, and the single-surface area is ∼3.4 sq.in.
- Dragon
- “Gold coin, half again as large as a nib (1 dragon = 100 nibs)”
- If the example is ³⁄₄″ square (1¹⁄₂ × ¹⁄₂″ nib), then the single-surface area is ∼⁴⁄₉ sq.in.
- If the example is ⁹⁄₁₀″ square (1¹⁄₂ × ³⁄₅″ nib), then the single-surface area is ∼²⁄₃ sq.in.
- If the example is 1¹⁄₈″ square (1¹⁄₂ × ³⁄₄″ nib), then the single-surface area is ∼1 sq.in. (Same as standard round D&D coin.)
- Sun
- “Platinum coin, twice as large as a nib (1 sun = 1,000 nibs)”
- Harbor Moon
- “Platinum crescent inset with electrum, about three inches long with a hole large enough for a nib to fit in (1 harbor moon = 5,000 nibs)”
- If the example is 3″ wide, then it’s 2½″ tall, with tips 2.2″ apart, a ¼″ square hole, and single-surface area of ∼4.5 sq.in.
Standard D&D coins
A standard coin weighs about a third of an ounce, so fifty coins weigh a pound.
| Coin |
cp |
sp |
ep |
gp |
pp
|
| Copper (cp) |
1 |
1⁄10 |
1⁄50 |
1⁄100 |
1⁄1000
|
| Silver (sp) |
10 |
1 |
1⁄5 |
1⁄10 |
1⁄100
|
| Electrum (ep) |
50 |
5 |
1 |
1⁄2 |
1⁄20
|
| Gold (gp) |
100 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
1⁄10
|
| Platinum (pp) |
1000 |
100 |
20 |
10 |
1
|
Background
Original D&D and AD&D
In original D&D (OD&D), Advanced D&D (AD&D 1st Ed.), and ‘Basic’ D&D (BD&D) coins have an encumbrance of ∼1⁄10 pound each.
More specifically, encumbrance (enc.) is a combination of the weight and clumsiness of gear measured in coin-weight equivalents (cn), where 1 𝖼𝗇 equals approximately 1⁄10 of a pound in weight and awkwardness. For example, a 1⁄2 lb wineskin filled with a quart of water/wine (∼ 2 lb), would only weigh ∼ 25 𝖼𝗇, but has a total enc. of 30 𝖼𝗇.
US coinage
- 1792 Apr. 2 – An act establishing a Mint, and regulating the Coins of the United States. (§9–13)LoC Ws Archive
- Proportional value of pure gold to pure silver: 15:1
- US “standard gold” for coins: 11⁄12 (≈916.7) fine (i.e. 22 kt.), 1⁄12 alloy (≤½ silver, ≥½ copper).
- US “standard silver” for coins: 1485⁄1664 (≈892.4) fine, 179⁄1664 alloy (copper).
| Den. |
Coin |
Weight |
№⁄lb.
|
| 10.00 |
eagle |
270 |
grains standard gold (247 4⁄8 gr. pure) |
25.9
|
| 5.00 |
half eagle |
135 |
grains standard gold (123 6⁄8 gr. pure) |
51.9
|
| 2.50 |
quarter eagle |
67 4⁄8 |
grains standard gold (61 7⁄8 gr. pure) |
103.7
|
| 1.00 |
dollar |
416 |
grains standard silver (371 4⁄16 gr. pure) |
16.8
|
| 0.50 |
half dollar |
208 |
grains standard silver (185 10⁄16 gr. pure) |
33.7
|
| 0.25 |
quarter dollar |
104 |
grains standard silver (92 13⁄16 gr. pure) |
67.3
|
| 0.10 |
disme |
41 3⁄5 |
grains standard silver (37 2⁄16 gr. pure) |
168.3
|
| 0.05 |
half disme |
20 4⁄5 |
grains standard silver (18 9⁄16 gr. pure) |
336.5
|
| 0.01 |
cent |
264 |
grains of copper (11 pennyweights) |
26.5
|
| .005 |
half cent |
132 |
grains of copper (5½ pennyweights) |
53.0
|
- 1794–1795 “Flowing Hair” silver coins are 900 fine silver (0.848% more than mandated).
- 1795–1836 “Draped Bust” & “Capped Bust” silver coins are 892 fine silver (as mandated).
- 1793 Jan. 14 – An act to amend… so far as respects the coinage of copper.Ws
| 0.01 |
cent |
208 |
grains of copper (8 2⁄3 dwt.)
|
| .005 |
half cent |
104 |
grains of copper (4 1⁄3 dwt.)
|
- Legal change before US Mint production began.
- 1795 Mar. 3 – An act supplementary to… establishing a Mint…. (§8)Ws
- US President may reduce copper coin weights by up to 2 dwt. (48 gr.) in each cent.
- 1834 June 28 – An act concerning the gold coins of the United States, and for other purposes. (§1)LoC SLF
- Proportional value of pure gold to pure silver: ≈16:1 (implied)
- US “standard gold” for coins: 116⁄129 (≈899.2) fine.
| Den. |
Coin |
Weight
|
| 10.00 |
eagle |
258 |
grains standard gold (232 gr. pure)
|
| 5.00 |
half eagle |
129 |
grains standard gold (116 gr. pure)
|
| 2.50 |
quarter eagle |
64½ |
grains standard gold (58 gr. pure)
|
- 1837 Jan. 18 – An act supplementary to… establishing a Mint…. (§8–10)LoC
- US “standard gold” for coins: 900 fine, 1⁄10 alloy (≤½ silver, ≥½ copper).
- US “standard silver” for coins: 900 fine, 1⁄10 alloy (copper).
| Den. |
Coin |
Weight
|
| 10.00 |
eagle |
258 |
grains standard gold
|
| 5.00 |
half eagle |
129 |
grains standard gold
|
| 2.50 |
quarter eagle |
64 1⁄2 |
grains standard gold
|
| 1.00 |
dollar |
412 1⁄2 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.50 |
half dollar |
206 1⁄4 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.25 |
quarter dollar |
103 1⁄8 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.10 |
dime |
41 1⁄4 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.05 |
half dime |
20 5⁄8 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.01 |
cent |
168 |
grains of copper (7 dwt.)
|
| .005 |
half cent |
84 |
grains of copper (3½ dwt.)
|
- 1849 Mar. 3 Coinage Act of 1849.SLF
| 20.00 |
double eagle |
516 |
grains standard gold (implied)
|
| 1.00 |
gold dollar |
25 4⁄5 |
grains standard gold (implied)
|
- 1851 Mar. 3 – An act to reduce and modify the rates of postage in the United States, and for other purposes. (§11)
| 0.03 |
three cent piece |
12 3⁄8 |
grains of 75% silver, 25% copper (∼1⁄2 dwt.)
|
- 1853 Feb. 21 – An act amendatory of existing laws relative to the half dollar, quarter dollar, dime, and half dime.(Chap.LXXIX)
| Den. |
Coin |
Weight
|
| 3.00 |
three-dollar piece |
74 2⁄5 |
grains standard gold
|
| 0.50 |
half dollar |
192 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.25 |
quarter dollar |
96 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.10 |
dime |
38 2⁄5 |
grains standard silver
|
| 0.05 |
half dime |
19 1⁄5 |
grains standard silver
|
- 1857 Feb. 21 – An act relating to Foreign Coins and to the Coinage of Cents at the Mint of the United States. (§4)LoC
| 0.01 |
cent |
72 |
grains (3 dwt.) of 88% copper, 12% nickel (aka NS12)
|
| .005 |
half cent |
— |
coinage ceased
|
- 1864 Apr. 22 – () – Coinage Act of 1864.LoC
- $ 0.01 cent – 48 grains (2 dwt.), 95% copper and 5% tin & zinc
- $ 0.02 two-cent – 96 grains (4 dwt.), 95% copper and 5% tin & zinc
- 1865 Mar. 8 – () – Coinage Act of 1865.LoC
- $ 0.03 three-cent – 30 grains, ≥ 75% copper and ≤ 25% nickel.
- Cent and two-cent only legal for amounts ≤ four cents.
- “In God We Trust” may be added to coins
- 1873 – () – Coinage Act of
- 1965 – () – Coinage Act of
See also
