 Money - ExchangeThis is my narrative and relevant references from the Books where Money Exchange is mentioned. I make no pronouncements on these matters, but report them as I find them. Arrive at your own conclusions. I wish you well, Fogaban The value of one type of Gorean coin to another is not as easy as 25 US Pennies equal one US Quarter and 2 US Quarters equal one US 50¢ Piece. You would always expect to receive 100 1 cent euro coins for one Euro, no matter which city you visit. But the exchange value of Gorean coinage varies so much that there is simply no way to make such arbitrary statements. In fact this is attested to within the series itself at least six different times. [1] Even though efforts are made every year at the Sardar Fair to standardize the coins among major cities, so far this hasn't happened. [2] These are the known Gorean coin denominations.
Less than a copper tarsk bit: Smallest is the copper shaving [3] Then there is the piece of a tarsk bit be it a quarter or an eighth [4] But these are generally just a figure of speech. The copper tarsk bit is generally accepted as the smallest denomination coin. [5] Different quantities of Tarsk Bits equal a Copper Tarsk: 4 - 10 Tarsk Bits = 1 Copper Tarsk [6] 8 Tarsk Bits = 1 Copper Tarsk [7] 8 - 10 Tarsk Bits = 1 Copper Tarsk [8] 10 Tarsk Bits = 1 Copper Tarsk [9] 10 - 20 Tarsk Bits = 1 Copper Tarsk [10] 100 Tarsk Bits = 1 Copper Tarsk [11] Based on one valuation, 8,000 Tarsk Bits would equal 1 regular Gold Tarn. [12] Different quantities of Copper Tarsks equal one Silver Tarsk: 10 Copper Tarsks = 1 Silver Tarsk [13] 40 Copper Tarsks = 1 Silver Tarsk [14] 100 Copper Tarsks = 1 Silver Tarsk [15] Silver staters of Brundisium: Worth several silver tarsks of most cities [16] Different quantities of Silver Tarsks equal one Gold Tarn: 10 Silver Tarsks = 1 Gold Tarn [17] 100 Silver Tarsks = 1 Gold Tarn [18] First is the Gold Tarsk usually valued at ten silver tarsks, [19] then the Gold Tarn, the more common variety of regular weight, [20] which is of more value. [21] And finally the Gold Tarn of Double Weight. [22] [1] Gorean coinage tends to vary from community to community. Savages of Gor Book 17 Page 120 To be sure, there is little standardization in these matters, for much depends on the actual weights of the coins and the quantities of precious metals, certified by the municipal stamps, contained in the coins. Rouge of Gor Book 15 Page 155 Although this varies from city to city, . . . Dancer of Gor Book 22 Page 274 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. Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 411 I think it would not be amiss to hypothesize certain approximate equivalencies here. To be sure, much seems to depend on the city and the particular weights involved. Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 469 Although these matters differ considerably from city to city, and silver and gold is often weighed by merchants, common ratios in the vicinity of Brundisium at the time of this writing, given the inflation of the unsettled times, Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 488 Unfortunately, there is no common coinage, but two important coins, at least in the northern hemisphere, against which other coins are often measured, are the silver and gold tarn disks of Ar, and the silver and gold staters of Brundisium. Needless to say, many transactions are conducted by means of scales. Quarry of Gor Book 35 Pages 163 - 164 [2] 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. Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 411 Copper Shaving - Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 298 "She is humanly worthless," said Pertinax, "even if not economically so, whatever coin she might sell for, whatever price might take her off a slave block, whether a silver tarsk or a copper shaving. She is despicable. I hate her." Piece of a Copper Tarsk Bit - Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 403 "I would suppose her use worth would be something like a quarter or an eighth of a tarsk-bit, if that. Indeed, one would be embarrassed to charge anything for the use of such a slave, so inferior she is, but it is, rather, that, this afternoon, I do not feel disposed to deal with fellows from Turia." Copper Tarsk Bit - Beasts of Gor Book 12 Page 77 I handed him a tarsk bit from my pouch, and pushed through the canvas. Copper Tarsk - Tribesmen of Gor Book 10 Page 36 I took the water and gave the man a copper tarsk. Copper Tarn - Outlaw of Gor Book 2 Page 68 In this market, on the other hand, a steward would simply approach a vendor and point to some article, and hold up a certain number of fingers. The vendor would then hold up a higher number, sometimes bending his fingers at the knuckle to indicate a fraction of the value unit, which would be, presumably, the copper tarn disk. Copper Ten-Piece - Rogue of Gor Book 15 Page 126 I removed a ten-tarsk piece from the lining of my tunic. Copper Twenty-Piece - Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 186 I saw a twenty-tarsk piece put in his hand. Copper Forty-Piece - Assassin of Gor Book 5 Pages 27 - 28 The odds are usually one to forty, one copper tarn disk against a forty-piece, sometimes against an eighty-piece, and sometimes the amateur who would play the master insists on further limitations, such as the option to three consecutive moves at a point in the game of his choice, or that the master must remove from the board, before the game begins, his two tarnsmen, or his Riders of the High Tharlarion. Copper Eighty-Piece - Assassin of Gor Book 5 Pages 27 - 28 The odds are usually one to forty, one copper tarn disk against a forty-piece, sometimes against an eighty-piece, and sometimes the amateur who would play the master insists on further limitations, such as the option to three consecutive moves at a point in the game of his choice, or that the master must remove from the board, before the game begins, his two tarnsmen, or his Riders of the High Tharlarion. Smaller / Common Silver Tarsk - Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 488 Depending on the nature of the silver tarsk, there will usually be ten to a hundred for a golden tarn disk. For the common silver tarsk, the smaller tarsk, the coin pertinent to the bidding in question, the ratio was one hundred such tarsks to the golden tarn disk, at least that of Ar or Jad, on Cos, and certain other major cities, including Brundisium. "Larger" Silver Tarsk - Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 488 I looked at the silver tarsk on the table near Publius. It seemed very large and very heavy. It glinted softly in the light. I could see, in the light, a dark, crescentlike shadow on one side about its rim, on the wood. Silver Tarn - Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 165 I tossed a silver tarn disk to the tarn keeper and ordered him to care for the bird, to groom and feed it and see that it was ready on an instant's notice. Silver Forty-Piece - Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 157 Irritably I gave him a silver forty-piece, far more than enough to pay for the spilled candies, and strode away. Silver Eighty-Piece - Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 107 I have heard of a cup of black wine in Ar, some years ago, selling for a silver eighty-piece. Silver Stater - Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 132 "The strange men were generous," said another. "Each of us received, in copper tarsks, the equivalent of a silver stater of Brundisium." Gold Tarsk - Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Page 522 "Here," said Axel, who drew from his wallet a small coin, a yellow coin, a gold tarsk, perhaps from Besnit or Harfax, where such coins are popular, and tossed it to my captor, who caught it. Gold Tarn - Tribesmen of Gor Book 10 Page 158 A gold tarn disk of Ar is more than many common laborers earn in a year. Gold Tarn of Double Weight - Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 4 Yet he had in the pockets of his belt twenty gold tarn disks, and of double weight. [3] "She is humanly worthless," said Pertinax, "even if not economically so, whatever coin she might sell for, whatever price might take her off a slave block, whether a silver tarsk or a copper shaving. She is despicable. I hate her." Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 298 [4] "For most," said Desmond, "I would suppose her use fee should be a tarsk-bit. Unfortunately there is no smaller coin. Perhaps one might split a tarsk-bit in two." Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 402 "I would suppose her use worth would be something like a quarter or an eighth of a tarsk-bit, if that. Indeed, one would be embarrassed to charge anything for the use of such a slave, so inferior she is, but it is, rather, that, this afternoon, I do not feel disposed to deal with fellows from Turia." Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 403 "Excellent," said a passing fellow, regarding me, helpless, in the slave bow. "I will give you a quarter of a tarsk-bit for her." . . . "Surely I am worth more than a quarter of a tarsk-bit," I said. In fact, as far as I knew, there was no such coin. To be sure, there is a welter of currencies on Gor. Much depends on the city. I would later learn that the phrase most often functions as a figure of speech. In many markets, scales are used, particularly if gold or silver figures in the transaction. Coins can be debased, shaved, or such. Scales are particularly important if, say, a silver buckle, or a scrap cut from a gold vessel, should be in question. Plunder of Gor Book 34 Pages 652 - 653 [5] The smallest Gorean coin is usually a tarsk bit Savages of Gor Book 17 Page 120 Only a tarsk bit." It was the smallest, least significant Gorean coin, at least in common circulation. Mercenaries of Gor Book 21 Page 120 The tarsk bit, of course, in most cities, is the smallest denomination coin in common circulation. Renegades of Gor Book 23 Page 107 The tarsk bit is the smallest-denomination coin in common circulation in most Gorean cities. Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 429 Ellen stiffened as he then gave a tarsk-bit, the hundredth part of a mere copper tarsk, to Portus Canio. Portus took the coin and put it in the guardsman's wallet at his belt. "That is doubtless, objectively, what she is worth," said Portus Canio. "Alas," said Selius Arconious, "there is no smaller coin." Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 521 "For most," said Desmond, "I would suppose her use fee should be a tarsk-bit. Unfortunately there is no smaller coin. Perhaps one might split a tarsk-bit in two." Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 402 [6] a tarsk bit, usually valued from a quarter to a tenth of a tarsk Savages of Gor Book 17 Page 120 copper tarsks, each one of which can be worth anywhere from ten to four tarsk bits, usually eight. Dancer of Gor Book 22 Page 274 [7] copper tarsks, each one of which can be worth anywhere from ten to four tarsk bits, usually eight. Dancer of Gor Book 22 Page 274 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. Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 411 It seems there are usually eight tarsk bits in a copper tarsk, . . . eight tarsk bits to a copper tarsk Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 469 "That is more than forty-eight copper tarsks," I said. "More than four times as much," he said, "as Brundisium counts tarsks." I knew there were considerable differences in coinages from city to city. Gorean polities are fiercely independent, and many are substantially isolated from the others. That is why money changers commonly rely on scales, at least for gold and silver. For example, in some cities there are eight tarsk-bits to a copper tarsk, and in others, such as Brundisium, a major commercial port, a hundred tarsk-bits to a copper tarsk. These divisions, it seems, might facilitate subtle distinctions in pricing and trading. Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Pages 531 - 532 [8] In Brundisium 100 copper tarsks is commonly valued at a silver tarsk. In Brundisium there are 100 tarsk-bits to the copper tarsk. In many cities, Ar, Besnit, Thentis, Ko-ro-ba, and such, the tarsk-bit is more valuable, there being most often eight or ten to a copper tarsk. Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Page 18 [9] One of the guardsmen opened her mouth, not gently, and retrieved the coin, a rather large one, a tarsk bit. Ten such coins make a copper tarsk. Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 54 "Give me then," said she, "a tarsk bit, the tenth of a copper tarsk. Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Page 300 In Port Kar, and generally in the Vosk Basin, there are ten tarsk bits to a copper tarsk Players of Gor Book 20 Page 59 "Five copper tarsks each," said he. "Thank you, Master!" said Ellen. "You are all vain she-urts," he said, turning away. "Yes, Master!" said Ellen, delightedly. That would be in most cities something like one hundred tarsk-bits altogether. It would be something like fifty tarsk-bits for each lad. Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 374 [10] copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. Rouge of Gor Book 15 Page 155 [11] common ratios in the vicinity of Brundisium at the time of this writing, given the inflation of the unsettled times, are a hundred tarsk-bits to a copper tarsk, Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 488 It was an even silver tarsk, or an even hundred copper tarsks, of the sort common in Kailiauk, figured in multiples of ten, over the earlier standing bid of six nine. Savages of Gor Book 17 Page 133 In Brundisium 100 copper tarsks is commonly valued at a silver tarsk. In Brundisium there are 100 tarsk-bits to the copper tarsk. In many cities, Ar, Besnit, Thentis, Ko-ro-ba, and such, the tarsk-bit is more valuable, there being most often eight or ten to a copper tarsk. Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Page 18 "That is more than forty-eight copper tarsks," I said. "More than four times as much," he said, "as Brundisium counts tarsks." I knew there were considerable differences in coinages from city to city. Gorean polities are fiercely independent, and many are substantially isolated from the others. That is why money changers commonly rely on scales, at least for gold and silver. For example, in some cities there are eight tarsk-bits to a copper tarsk, and in others, such as Brundisium, a major commercial port, a hundred tarsk-bits to a copper tarsk. These divisions, it seems, might facilitate subtle distinctions in pricing and trading. Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Pages 531 - 532 "Here," I said, "is a tarsk-bit, a Brundisium tarsk-bit, of which there are a hundred in a Brundisium copper tarsk. Inquire as to local markets, nearer or farther, and see what you can do in the way of tospits or larmas." In Brundisium, a great mercantile port, there were a hundred tarsk-bits to the copper tarsk. This allowed a subtlety, a delicacy and precision, of bidding, particularly for smaller articles. The values of Gorean currency, particularly to the annoyance of the caste of merchants, varies considerably from city to city, with respect to weight, to purity of metal, and even denomination. In many cities for example, there were only four or eight tarsk-bits to a copper tarsk. This is apparently indexed to the ease of dividing a round coin into equal parts. The tarsk-bits of Brundisium, however, were individual tiny copper coins, either small disks or tiny droplets of copper. Given such vagaries, and the shaving of coins, particularly those of more precious metals, scales are often used in transactions, certainly in a polity's "Streets of Coins." Fortunes, I have been told, have been made in speculating on the shifting, comparable values of these diverse coinages. The double tarn, of gold, minted in the city of Ar, is usually accepted as the single, most valuable coin on Gor. Many cities in the northern hemisphere, even cities hostile to Ar, supposedly, privately, use Ar's "Gold Tarn," the single Tarn, to rank, standardize, and value their own currency. Unfortunately this coin, bearing only, by proud tradition, the simple sign of Ar, is easy to imitate. So one understands the importance of scales, and, as one might expect, the occasional charges and countercharges having to do with the accuracy of the weights used to balance the scales. Weights are standardized against official weights, so to speak, housed in a merchant fortress in the vicinity of the Sardar Mountains. Merchants may have access to this fortress four times a year, during the great Sardar fairs. Similar provisions are made for standardizing liquid and linear measures. Another important, well-known coin, is the golden stater of Brundisium. In the southern hemisphere, the coinage of Turia plays a similar role to that of Ar in the north. Quarry of Gor Book 35 Pages 33 - 34 Unfortunately, there is no common coinage, but two important coins, at least in the northern hemisphere, against which other coins are often measured, are the silver and gold tarn disks of Ar, and the silver and gold staters of Brundisium. Needless to say, many transactions are conducted by means of scales. Quarry of Gor Book 35 Pages 163 - 164 On the other hand, a silver tarsk is a coin of not inconsiderable value. For many Goreans, a silver tarsk might represent the savings of several months. Quarry of Gor Book 35 Page 276 |       
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