Coin of the Realm (book)

Coin of the Realm
The Currency of the Seven-Star Empire

The history of Imperial currency begins shortly after the empire itself is founded. In 909 BL, Verek, Moliko, Baraliban, and Lirum laid the plans for their grand creation, and Verek became the first emperor the next year. During his term from 908 to 902 BL, the fledgling empire had no single currency. Rather, it continued whatever trade, barter, or coinage system the clans and cities had used previously. With the accession of Empress Taratochs to the throne, that changed.

Among the innovations Taratochs proposed was a system of coinage that would be legal tender throughout the realm, getting rid of bewildering conversions and eliminating money-changers. She proposed that a silver coin be minted, called "Vereks" after the first emperor and bearing the dates of his reign -- 1 to 7 in the Imperial Year system of dating. Her plan was adopted in general, and the coins with Verek's image and dates were minted and circulated throughout the land.

From that time on, it became the established practice to issue coins commemorating the emperor's term in the first year of the succeeding emperor. For example, Empress Taratochs ruled from 8 to 14 IY (901-895 BL), and the coins bearing her image were minted in 15 IY (894 BL). Thus the date of manufacture of an Imperial coin is always one year later than the last date it bears on its face.

One recommendation of Taratochs that was not accepted was the coin's name. Small Imperial coins, worth about a copper today, had come into being out of necessity for a common medium of exchange, but now a new name was needed for a new denomination. Verek modestly discouraged the use of his name, but agreement was not easily achieved. Dwarves wanted to call it a "mint," Humans a "min," Gor'Togs a "dayam," Elotheans an "ariki," and so on. Finally (or so the legend goes) they decided to leave it to the gods. A representative of each of the seven races was seated at a round table, and they put a beetle in a cup, shook it, and turned it upside-down in the middle of the table. The person toward whom the beetle ran when the cup was lifted would make the decision. When the cup was removed, the beetle spread its wings and flew straight up and away. The delegates began to laugh, embarrassed by their earlier squabbles, and since it was the birthday of the Elf Lenyuc, they let him pick the name. He chose "dira," after the Elven word for treasure, and so they were called during the age of the Empire.

If the Imperial diras were legal tender today, the silver in them would make them worth roughly ten kronars, but rarity is one of the factors that determines value, and one cannot find diras in every turnip patch. The number of coins minted varied widely with conditions like the solvency of the Empire, political instability, social unrest, and the fluctuation of commerce. For that reason, no attempt has been made here to set a value on particular coins, but we present this list in the hope that it will be of value to collectors.

Note: Years of reign are listed in IY or Imperial Year.

#	Emperor	Reigned	Image on reverse of coin
1	Verek	1-7	a crowned V
2	Taratochs	8-14	a mason's trowel and the words "Throne city"
3	Lenvuc	15-21	an Imperial crown
4	Moliko the Balance	22-28	a balance scale with a scroll in each pan
5	Baralibas	29-35	outline of Ratha under the imperial crown
6	Gragna the Builder	36-42	a skyline of towers over the words "Throne City"
7	Ushnegi	43-49	a wizard's hat in a circle of seven stars
8	Ponthilas I	50-54	an Imperial crown
9	Gredge	55-61	an Imperial crown
10	Chezarek	62-67	comet in the sign of the Mongoose
11	Moliko the Balance	68-74	a gavel in a circle of seven stars
12	Riini	75-76	an Imperial crown
13	Govutku	77-83	an island above the word "M'Riss"
14	Ithevwe Zsikiel	84-90	a ship a-building
15	Ponthilas II	91-92	an Imperial crown
16	Theksaal I	94-100	an Imperial crown
17	Yashdus	101-107	a city floating on the waves
18	Pumesle	108-112	an Imperial crown
19	Mafescu	113-119	an Imperial crown
20	Rublam the Bold	120-122	an Imperial crown
21	Micholo	123-124	an Imperial crown
22	Cale Rardokin	125-131	a group of explorers and the word "Theren"
23	Dexoch	132-138	an Imperial crown
24	Lenvuc	139-145	an Imperial crown
25	Nerebon	146-152	a box of scrolls and the word "Gealeranendae"
26	Ibti Timbleton	153-159	an Imperial crown
27	Ochanka the Wise	160-166	an Imperial crown
28	Yudathki	167-173	an Imperial crown
29	Jordham Theren	174-180	an Imperial crown
30	Saranell I	181-187	an Imperial crown
31	Nemethyo	188-194	an Imperial crown
32	Ocnovi	195-201	an Imperial crown
33	Demin I	202-207	an Imperial crown
34	Vithwok the Old	208-215	an Imperial crown
35	Mhalduum the Singer	216-222	an Imperial crown
36	Ponthilas III	223-226	an Imperial crown
37	Villigar	227-232	an Imperial crown
38	Lenvuc	233-238	an Imperial crown
39	Cedasye I	239-245	an Imperial crown
40	Ringth	246-252	an Imperial crown
41	Bundirm	253-259	an Imperial crown
42	Asmirhh	260-266	an Imperial crown
43	Rhamos	267-273	an Imperial crown
44	Thvasvadh	274-280	an Imperial crown
45	Sephrorik	281-287	an Imperial crown
46	Mireitha	288-294	an Imperial crown
47	Krael	295-301	an Imperial crown
48	Nishnak	302-308	an Imperial crown
49	Qoemeth	309-315	the words "The Celestial Compact"
50	Ponthilas IV Lucaid	316-318	the Imperial Observatory
51	Saranell II	319-325	a document under three moons
52	Trachcarim	326-333	the Imperial Observatory
53	Piatek	334-340	an Imperial crown
54	Mamni Timbleton	341-347	an Imperial crown
55	Ulthere	348-354	armored Dwarves and the word "Hammerstone"
56	Shakoepi the Dragon	355-361	an Imperial crown
57	Ellington	362-368	an Imperial crown
58	Hresoch	369-375	an Imperial crown
59	Arthitu	376-382	a mason's trowel and the words "Stone Clan"
60	Ishuzca	383-389	an Imperial crown
61	Demin II	390-396	an Imperial crown
62	Gragna II	397-403	an Imperial crown
63	Grathhkep	404-410	a mighty door and the words "Stone Clan"
64	Hermothius	411-415	an Imperial crown
65	Theksaal II	416-422	an Imperial crown
66	Arcadius	423-429	an Imperial crown
67	Colvastus	430-436	an Imperial crown
68	Liicca	437-443	an Imperial crown
69	Vithwok II	444-450	an Imperial crown
70	Zayoshsa	451-457	an Imperial crown
71	Velzeac	458-464	an Imperial crown
72	Thekves	465-471	an Imperial crown
73	Wellumon	472-478	an Imperial crown
74	Cedasye II	479-485	an Imperial crown
75	Frendollur	486-492	an Imperial crown
76	Vithwok the Happy	493-499	the emblem of Throne City surrounded by festival tents
77	Merthamone Vanaya	500-506	sparks falling from a comet
78	Tobias Redthorne	507-511	the Imperial fleet on the waves
79	Glinska	512-518	the Imperial navy smashing a pirate fleet
80	Yashdus II	519-525	an Imperial crown
81	Makudious	526-532	an Imperial crown
82	Seromond	533-539	an Imperial crown
83	Olga	540-546	an Imperial crown
84	Opyur	547-550	an Imperial crown
85	Javaenna	551-557	an Imperial crown
86	Garnust	558-564	an Imperial crown
87	Lelamos	565-571	an Imperial crown
88	Shamyi	572-578	an Imperial crown
89	Peroibo	579-585	an Imperial crown
90	Vridash	586-592	an Imperial crown
91	Basikha	593-599	an Imperial crown
92	Egatna Theren	600-606	an Imperial crown
93	Skadhren	607-613	an Imperial crown
94	Therithien	614-617	an Imperial crown
95	Colvastus II	618-622	an Imperial crown
96	Duniver	623-629	an Imperial crown
97	Grudish	630-634	an Imperial crown
98	Kahtalhh	635-635	an Imperial crown
99	Nardosien	636-636	an Imperial crown
100	Saranell III	637-642	an Imperial crown
101	Bellisterker	643-650	an Imperial crown
102	Klyudor	651-657	an Imperial crown
103	Cambedika	658-662	an Imperial crown
104	Vithwok IV the Young	663-665	an Imperial crown