Matter of Economics

All civilizations throughout the history of Earth has relied on some sort of merchant or monetary system, be it bartering, paper currency or coinage. Goreans are no different, and live a highly commercial life. Economics, therefore, a major factor and a standardization of monies developed.

Although the Goreans do utilize promissary notes, it is not used often as Goreans hold no faith in such things as paper. Highly suspicious in their exploits of trade and purchasing, Goreans prefer holding cold hard cash in their hands. Can one blame them?

The styles and shapes of coins vary from city to city, yet it is imperative a standard system of metal weights established to ensure value consistent through-out Gor. The value of Gorean coinage can fluctuate greatly depending upon the quality and purity of the precious metal used for coinage. The gold of both Ar and Turia is highly prized for its purity, thus gold coins from those cities are of greater value than gold coins produced in other cities from lesser metal. The same can be said of the silver of Tharna and Argentum, the two famous Silver Cities of the north. In finality, merchants decide the buying power of particular coinage.

"In most exchanges, it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. Ten silver tarsks, usually, is regarded as the equivalent of one gold piece, of one of the high cities. To be sure, there is little standardization in these matter, for much depends on the actual weights of the coins and quantities of precious metals, certified by the municipal stamps, contained in the coins. Sometimes, too, coins are split or shaved. Further the debasing of coinage is not unknown. Scales and rumors, it seems are often sued by coin merchants. One of the central coins on Gor is the golden tarn disk of Ar, against which many cities standardize their own gold piece. Other generally respected coins tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, and the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs north and south of the Bosk's delta." — Rogue of Gor, page 155.

Coins come in many shapes, sizes and designs specific to their region. In the Tahari districts, the local coinage is pierced through the center, a modification which enables its user to thread a series of such coins on a leather thong or string for ease of carrying. Also, some Gorean coins, such as the stater, are rectangular in shape and resemble small flat ingots of precious metal rather traditional round coins. The average Gorean coin is about 1 1/2 in in diameter and about three-eights of an inch thick. Designs vary depending upon the city where they are minted, though typically they will bear, the likeness of the creature for which they are named for (i.e, a tarn disk will display the image of a tarn, a tarsk disk will display the image of a tarsk, etc.). The opposite side is often adorned with the symbol or seal of the coin's city of origin.

The Gorean is normally made by hand. The planchet (coin-blank) is warmed to soften the metal. It is then placed between the dies and the die cap is then struck with a hammer, simultaneously impressing designs on both sides of the coin. This enables Gorean coins to carry a design which is deeply and intricately sculpted.

The Gorean Coins

Tarsks and Tarsk Bits
The lesser-coinage found on Gor; from copper to silver class weights.

• Copper Tarsk Bit
Depending upon the original value of the coin and how the coin was cut into "bits, it is, naturally, copper, worth from 1/4 to 1/10th of a copper tarsk. The common number of tarsk-bits in a copper tarsk is eight. When copper tarsks are struck, they are often created with deep grooves which enable the owner to snap the coin into smaller pieces. This is typical in the city of Ar.

• Copper Tarsk Disk
A copper coin of the least value on Gor, usually equal to eight tarsk-bits.

• Silver Tarsk Disk
The silver tarsk is probably the most-used denomination of Gorean coinage; generally the equivalent of one hundred (100) copper tarsks. The Silver Tarsk of Tharna is considered one of the most highly respected coins based on true and honest value.

"I threw a sliver tarsk, taken from what we had obtained from the slavers in the marsh, to the proprietor of the paga tavern, and took in return one of the huge bottles of paga…" — Raiders of Gor, page 111.

"He had been very generous. A silver tarsk is, to most Goreans, a coin of considerable value. In most exchanged, it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. … Other generally respected coins tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, and the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs north and south of the Bosk's delta." — Rogue of Gor, page 155.

Tarn Disks
The mid-class coinage foundon Gor; from copper to gold class weights.

• Copper Tarn Disk
Another copper coin that is of a slightly greater value than that of the copper tarsk. A rare coinage no longer in use due to standardization of coinage through-out Gor.

"What do you for that slave?" asked a captain, a tall man with a small, carefully trimmed beard.
      "Fifty copper tarn disks," said the slave master. — Raiders of Gor, page 182.

"The proprietor, when I entered, lifted his head from the counter, behind which hung a great bottle of paga in its pouring sling. I threw down a copper tarn disk and he tilted the great bottle. I took my goblet of paga to a table and sat down, cross-legged, behind it." — Raiders of Gor, page 120.

• Gold[en] Tarn Disk
Generally, this coin is equivalent to that of ten (10) silver tarsk. Although many cities on Gor mint their own gold tarn disks, the Gorean standard is the gold tarn disk of Ar because of its consistant quality and and purity, thus making it the most valuable of such coins. Standardization is very little because coinage depends on the qualities of the metals, and the weights of the coins, as well as the accuracy of the scales. Too, further debasing to the coins by shaving or splitting of the coin.

"In most exchanged, it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. Ten silver tarsks, usually, is regarded as the equivalent of one gold piece, of one of the high cities. To be sure, there is little standardization in these matter, for much depends on the actual weights of the coins and quantities of precious metals, certified by the municipal stamps, contained in the coins. Sometimes, too, coins are split or shaved. Further the debasing of coinage is not unknown. Scales and rumors, it seems are often sued by coin merchants. One of the central coins on Gor is the golden tarn disk of Ar, against which many cities standardize their own gold piece. Other generally respected coins tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, and the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs north and south of the Bosk's delta." — Rogue of Gor, page 155.

• Double-Weight Gold Tarn Disk
A gold tarn disk, minted at double thickness to be twice the weight of a standard gold tarn disk.

Staters
The highest class of coin on Gor, in silver and gold class weights; used most often in Argentum and Brundisium.

• Silver Stater
This coin used more often in the cities of Argentum and Brundisium, it is likely to be equivalent in value to a standard Gorean silver tarsk disk.

• Gold Stater
This coin is commonly used in the city of Brundisium, possibly elsewhere. It is known to be of excellent quality and weight; possibly of more worth than that of a traditional gold tarn disk.

Other Forms of Currency

• Monetary Drafts and Promissary Notes

Often there are times when carrying around large sums of coins is simply dangerous. Therefore, Goreans use promissary notes, or monetary drafts, drawn on paper from money-lenders and financial institutions. Such instances of use are often seen with suspicion, the Gorean preferring coins to paper, but it is not an unusual practice. The Caste of Merchants, specifically the Caste of Money-Lenders oversee all such practices from the city money-houses which reside on The Street of Coins, the common name for the financial districts of most Gorean cities.

• Gems and Stones

The use of gems for money is not common, although the use of such gems in terms of bartering is done, depending upon the quality of the stone and its rarity and purity. While slave girls wear jewelry, they are adorned only with colored beads of wood and other such materials of little value. It should be noted, however, that the sapphires of Schendi, for instance, are widely prized throughout all of Gor.

Banking and the Bankers

I was not worried about the girl. I was more alert to the fact that, moments before, two guardsmen had passed. The rounds of guardsmen are generally randomized, usually by the tossing of coins, different combinations corresponding to difference schedulings. One of the most practical strategies for those who would avoid guardsmen, of course, it to follow them in their rounds. I was very aware of the fact that I carried, in my sea bag, the ring which the blond barbarian had had on the Blossoms of Telnus and the notes, bearing the signatures and seals of Schendi bankers, who had been made out to Shaba, the geographer of Anango, the explorer of Lake Ushindi, and the discoverer of Lake Ngao and the mysterious Ua River. I thought these might bring him out of hiding, with the Tahari ring, if I could not locate him by means of the blond Earth girl who had been purchased by Ulafi, captain of the Palms of Schendi, merchant, too, of that city. — Explorers of Gor, page 47.

"Have no fear," is said. To be sure, there was more to what Boots was saying then might be evident at first sight. It was not that I had difficulty in adding and subtracting, of course, but rather that I was not always as knowledgeable as I might be about the relative values of various coins, of numerous cities, which, of course, depended on such things as compositions and weights, and exchange rates, which might fluctuate considerably. For example, if a city debases its coinage, openly or secretly, perhaps as an economy measure, to increase the amount of money in circulation, or there is a rumor to that effect, this will be reflected in the exchange rates. Many Gorean bankers, not only the fellows sitting on a rug in their booth on a street, their sleen about, but also those in the palaces and fortresses on the "Streets of Coins," work with scales. Too, sometimes coins are literally chopped into pieces. This is regularly done with copper tarsks to produce, usually, the eight tarsk bits equivalent in most cities to the copper tarsk. Every year at the Sardar Fair there is a motion before the bankers, literally, the coin merchants, to introduce a standardization of coinage among the major cities. To date, however, this has not been accomplished. I did not feel it was really fair of Boots to call attention to my possible lack of expertise in these matters. I was not, after all, of the merchants, nor, among them, of the coin merchants. — Magicians of Gor, page 411.

 

 

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Special Note

Because of the differences in publishing the books, depending upon whether published in the U.S. or Europe, depending upon whether a first publishing or a Masquerade Books release, page numbers will often vary. All of my quotes are from original, first-printing U.S. publications (see The Books page for a listing of publishers and dates) with the exception of the following books:

  • Tarnsman of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
  • Outlaw of Gor (11th Printing, Balantine)
  • Priest-Kings of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
  • Assassin of Gor (10th Printing, Balantine)
  • Raiders of Gor (15th Printing, Balantine)
  • Captive of Gor (3rd Printing, Balantine)

Disclaimer

These pages are not written for any specific home, but rather as informational pages for those not able to get ahold of the books and read them yourself. Opinions and commentaries are strictly my own personal views, therefore, if you don't like what you are reading — then don't. The information in these pages is realistic to what is found within the books. Many sites have added information, assuming the existences of certain products and practices, such as willowbark and agrimony for healing, and travel to earth and back for the collection of goods. I've explored the books, the flora, the fauna, and the beasts, and have compiled from those mentioned, the probabilities of certain practices, and what vegetation mentioned in the books is suitable for healing purposes, as well as given practicalities to other sorts of roleplaying assumptions.