Economics, revisited

[Finarvyn]

I nearly put this in the "Underworld & Wilderness Adventures" section, but as a large bulk of this post is an equipment cost chart I decided to put it in the "Men & Magic" section.

The OD&D currency system is certainly simple, but the costs in M&M seem kind of out of whack so I went to AD&D. The problem with AD&D is that they do a non-decimal system where 1 gp = 20 sp = 200 cp. This system can be awkward when you see costs of 2 gp and 15 sp next to one another.

What I wanted to do was to create a uniform cost chart where all values were converted into the same coin value, so I dusted off my spreadsheet and entered values in gp/sp/cp and then let the computer calculate some GPE (gold piece equivalent) values for me.

Here's my chart, if anyone wants it.

Armor GPE
Banded 90
Chain 75
Helmet, great 15
Helmet, small 10
Leather 5
Padded 4
Plate 400
Ring 30
Scale 45
Shield, large 15
Shield, small 10
Shield, small, wooden 1
Splinted 80
Studded 15

Arms GPE
Arrow, normal, single 0.1
Arrow, normal, dozen 1
Arrow, silver, single 1
Axe, battle 5
Axe, hand or throwing 1
Bardiche 7
Bec de corbin 6
Bi I I-Guisarme 6
Bow, composite short 75
Bow, composite, long 100
Bow, long 60
Bow, short 15
Crossbow, heavy 20
Crossbow, light 12
Dagger and scabbard 2
Dart 0.25
Fauchard 3
Fauchard - Fork 8
Flail, footman’s 3
Flail, horseman’s 8
Fork, Military 4
Glaive 6
Glaive-Guisarme 10
Guisarme 5
Guisarme - Voulge 7
Halberd 9
Hammer, Lucern 7
Hammer. 1
Javelin 0.5
Lance 6
Mace, footman‘s 8
Mace, horseman’s 4
Morning Star 5
Partisan 10
Pick, Military, footman’s 8
Pick, Military, horseman’s 5
Pike, awl 3
Quarrel (or Bolt), light, single 0.05
Quarrel (or Bolt), heavy, score 0.05
Ranseur 4
Scimitar 15
Sling & Bullets, dozen 0.75
Sling Bullets, score 0.5
Spear 1
Spetum 3
Sword, bastard, & scabbard 25
Sword, broad, & scabbard 10
Sword, long & scabbard 15
Sword, short & scabbard 8
Sward, two-handed 30
Trident 4
Voulge 2

Clothing GPE
Belt 0.15
Boots, high, hard 2
Boots, high, soft 1
Boots, low, hard 1
Boots, low, soft 0.4
Cap 0.05
Cloak 0.25
Girdle, broad 2
Girdle, normal 0.5
Hat 0.35
Robe 0.3

Herbs GPE
Belladona, sprig 0.2
Garlic, bud 0.025
Wolvesbane, sprig 0.5

Livestock GPE
Chicken 0.015
Cow 10
Dog, guard 25
Dog, hunting 17
Donkey 8
Goat 1
Hawk, large 40
Hawk, small 18
Horse, draft 30
Horse, heavy war 300
Horse, light war 150
Horse, medium war 225
Horse, riding (light) 25
Mule 20
Ox 15
Pigeon 0.01
Piglet 1
Pig 3
Pony 15
Sheep 2
Songbird 0.02

Miscellaneous Equipment GPE
Backpack, leather 2
Box, iron, large 28
Box, iron, small 9
Candle, tallow 0.005
Candle, wax 0.05
Case, bone, map or scroll 5
Case, leather, map or scrc 0.75
Chest, wooden, large 0.85
Chest, wooden, small 0.4
Lantern, bullseye 12
Lantern, hooded 7
Mirror, large metal 10
Mirror, small, silver 20
Oil, flask of 1
Pole, 10' 0.015
Pouch, belt, large 1
Pouch, belt, small 0.75
Quiver, 1 doz. orrows cap. 15
Quiver, 1 score arrows cap. 0.6
Quiver, 1 score bolts cap. 0.75
Quiver, 2 score bolts cap. 1
Rope, 50' 0.2
Sack, large 0.08
Sack, small 0.05
Skin for water or wine 0.75
Spike, iron, large 0.005
Thieves' picks & tools 30
Tinder Box, with flint & steel 1
Torch 0.005

Provisions GPE
Ale, pint 0.05
Beer, small, pint 0.025
Food, merchant's meal 0.05
Food, rich meal 1
Grain, horse meal, 1 day 0.05
Mead, pint 0.25
Rations, iron, 1 week 5
Rations, standard, 1 week 3
Wine, pint, good 0.5
Wine, pint, watered 0.25

Religious Items GPE
Beads, Prayer 1
Incense, stick 1
Symbol, Holy or Unholy, iron 2
Symbol, Holy or Unholy, silver 50
Symbol, Holy or Unholy, wood 0.35
Water, Holy or Unholy, vial 25

Tack and Harness GPE
Barding, chain 250
Barding, leather 100
Barding, plate 500
Bit and bridle 0.75
Harness 0.6
Saddle 10
Saddle Bags, large 4
Saddle Bags, small 3
Saddle Blanket 0.15

Transport GPE
Barge (or Raft), small 50
Boat, small 75
Boat, long 150
Cart 50
Galley, large 25000
Galley, small 10000
Ship, merchant, large 15000
Ship, merchant, small 5000
Ship, war 20000
Wagon 150

[Finarvyn]

You know what? I don't like that chart.
(1) Too many annoying decimals.
(2) The costs don't really fit my "coin is a dollar" mental model.

What I did, then, was to multiply all of the GPE values by ten to create my "cost" of an item. My plan is that on this second chart a CP is 1, a SP is 10, and a GP is 100. So, finding a GP is like finding a $100 bill. Then, any value less than 5 on my new cost chart got displayed to the nearest 0.1 so that I don't have any prices set at zero.

So, I think my new currency is going to work like this:
1 GP = 100 CP
1 SP = 10 CP
1 CP = standard; "dollar"
1 IP (iron piece) = 0.1 CP

Here is my revised cost chart, for anyone interested. I think I like it a lot better. I'm tempted to multiply by ten again and get rid of the IP, as the current chart has a pint of beer for under a dollar.

Armor Cost
Banded 900
Chain 750
Helmet, great 150
Helmet, small 100
Leather 50
Padded 40
Plate 4,000
Ring 300
Scale 450
Shield, large 150
Shield, small 100
Shield, small, wooden 10
Splinted 800
Studded 150

Arms Cost
Arrow, normal, single 1
Arrow, normal, dozen 10
Arrow, silver, single 10
Axe, battle 50
Axe, hand or throwing 10
Bardiche 70
Bec de corbin 60
Bi I I-Guisarme 60
Bow, composite short 750
Bow, composite, long 1,000
Bow, long 600
Bow, short 150
Crossbow, heavy 200
Crossbow, light 120
Dagger and scabbard 20
Dart 2.5
Fauchard 30
Fauchard - Fork 80
Flail, footman’s 30
Flail, horseman’s 80
Fork, Military 40
Glaive 60
Glaive-Guisarme 100
Guisarme 50
Guisarme - Voulge 70
Halberd 90
Hammer, Lucern 70
Hammer. 10
Javelin 5
Lance 60
Mace, footman‘s 80
Mace, horseman’s 40
Morning Star 50
Partisan 100
Pick, Military, footman’s 80
Pick, Military, horseman’s 50
Pike, awl 30
Quarrel (or Bolt), light, single 0.5
Quarrel (or Bolt), heavy, score 0.5
Ranseur 40
Scimitar 150
Sling & Bullets, dozen 8
Sling Bullets, score 5
Spear 10
Spetum 30
Sword, bastard, & scabbard 250
Sword, broad, & scabbard 100
Sword, long & scabbard 150
Sword, short & scabbard 80
Sward, two-handed 300
Trident 40
Voulge 20

Clothing Cost
Belt 1.5
Boots, high, hard 20
Boots, high, soft 10
Boots, low, hard 10
Boots, low, soft 4
Cap 0.5
Cloak 2.5
Girdle, broad 20
Girdle, normal 5
Hat 3.5
Robe 3

Herbs Cost
Belladona, sprig 2
Garlic, bud 0.3
Wolvesbane, sprig 5

Livestock Cost
Chicken 0.2
Cow 100
Dog, guard 250
Dog, hunting 170
Donkey 80
Goat 10
Hawk, large 400
Hawk, small 180
Horse, draft 300
Horse, heavy war 3,000
Horse, light war 1,500
Horse, medium war 2,250
Horse, riding (light) 250
Mule 200
Ox 150
Pigeon 0.1
Piglet 10
Pig 30
Pony 150
Sheep 20
Songbird 0.2

Miscellaneous Equipment Cost
Backpack, leather 20
Box, iron, large 280
Box, iron, small 90
Candle, tallow 0.1
Candle, wax 0.5
Case, bone, map or scroll 50
Case, leather, map or scrc 8
Chest, wooden, large 9
Chest, wooden, small 4
Lantern, bullseye 120
Lantern, hooded 70
Mirror, large metal 100
Mirror, small, silver 200
Oil, flask of 10
Pole, 10' 0.2
Pouch, belt, large 10
Pouch, belt, small 8
Quiver, 1 doz. orrows cap. 150
Quiver, 1 score arrows cap. 6
Quiver, 1 score bolts cap. 8
Quiver, 2 score bolts cap. 10
Rope, 50' 2
Sack, large 0.8
Sack, small 0.5
Skin for water or wine 8
Spike, iron, large 0.1
Thieves' picks & tools 300
Tinder Box, with flint & steel 10
Torch 0.1

Provisions Cost
Ale, pint 0.5
Beer, small, pint 0.3
Food, merchant's meal 0.5
Food, rich meal 10
Grain, horse meal, 1 day 0.5
Mead, pint 2.5
Rations, iron, 1 week 50
Rations, standard, 1 week 30
Wine, pint, good 5
Wine, pint, watered 2.5

Religious Items Cost
Beads, Prayer 10
Incense, stick 10
Symbol, Holy or Unholy, iron 20
Symbol, Holy or Unholy, silver 500
Symbol, Holy or Unholy, wood 3.5
Water, Holy or Unholy, vial 250

Tack and Harness Cost
Barding, chain 2,500
Barding, leather 1,000
Barding, plate 5,000
Bit and bridle 8
Harness 6
Saddle 100
Saddle Bags, large 40
Saddle Bags, small 30
Saddle Blanket 1.5

Transport Cost
Barge (or Raft), small 500
Boat, small 750
Boat, long 1,500
Cart 500
Galley, large 250,000
Galley, small 100,000
Ship, merchant, large 150,000
Ship, merchant, small 50,000
Ship, war 200,000
Wagon 1,500

[Deleted]

Your second chart seems more useful to me. I agree that MEN&MAGIC has a bizarro monitary system, but it is a simple one. Funny how everything is priced in gold but then treasure has silver and copper, which everyone just leaves behind anyway because its worthless.

AD&D has a better balance, but I don't like the funny coin values (20 silver to a gold) and this makes finding the cost annoying.

I like your second chart and may swipe it.