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Electrum was a naturally occurring silver-gold alloy[4][5] with half the value of pure gold: 1 electrum piece (ep) was worth 50 copper pieces (cp), 5 silver pieces (sp), 1/2 of a gold piece (gp), or 1/20 of a platinum piece (pp).[4][5][6][7][8]

Value and terminology[]

Most of Faerûn used "standard rates of exchange for coinage,"[7] based on the silver and gold standard, with 1 cp worth 1/100 gp, 1 sp worth 1/10 gp, 1 ep worth 1/2 gp, and 1 pp worth 10 gp.[6][8].

Electrum coins adopted various names throughout the Realms.

Throughout the Western Heartlands, most electrum coins from abroad were called blue eyes regardless of origin.[7]

There are two special coins valued more within the city they were minted in:

  • The original shining blue crescent-shaped electrum moon of Silverymoon, a coin worth 1 ep throughout the Realms but twice that within the city itself.[7]
  • The harbor moon of Waterdeep, a cresent shaped Waterdhavian coin made of platinum, inset with electrum, and punched with a central hole. It was used for bulk transactions, one coin being worth 50 gp within the city of Waterdeep[8][3] and worth 2 gp[7]–30 gp[10][3] anywhere else.

Electrum currency was generally rare and not available in the Land of Fate.[11]

Other uses[]

The spell Khelben's warding whip used a pinch of powdered electrum as a material component.[7]

The spell Leomund secret chest could use a chest fashioned from bronze, copper, or silver with fittings of electrum or silver.[12][13][5]

Magical morning stars known as storm stars were crafted from electrum-plated steel. They could unleash a chain lightning effect.

An electrum mounting allowed witherite to be worn as a protection to necromantic attacks.[14]

Two notable tomes—The Chambeeleon and The Tome of the Unicorn—had electrum pages, with the latter also having electrum covers.[15]

If one of the twisted bands of a shoonring was made of electrum, this usually indicated that the ring contained multiple powers and enhanced the effects of the magics involved.[16]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

Notes[]

  1. Some of the local names for electrum pieces given in the AD&D 2nd Ed. Campaign Settingcentaurs, and centarches; imply the 100/1 (centa-) valuation between copper and electrum that existed in AD&D 1st ed., implying that in real life, Greenwood came up with the names before 2nd Edition was released.
    The name decimes, implies the 1/10 (deci-) valuation between electrum and platinum from 1st & 2nd Ed. AD&D.
  2. The 4th Edition value for a Sembia-minted electrum coin is one of the only references to ep's in 4th Edition and is wildly different then anything listed in 1st–3rd, and 5th Editions.

Appearances[]

Video Games

Gallery[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Aurelio Locsin (October 1982). “Thieves' Cant: A primer for the language of larceny”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #66 (TSR, Inc.), p. 38.
  2. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 143. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 19–20. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 228. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 112, 247, 308. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 9 & 56. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), pp. 61, 97, 129. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), A Grand Tour of the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 26–27. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  9. Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 45. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  10. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 91. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  11. Jeff Grubb and Andria Hayday (April 1992). Arabian Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 85. ISBN 978-1560763581.
  12. Gary Gygax (1978). Players Handbook 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 35 & 50. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
  13. David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 66 & 169. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
  14. Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 54. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.
  15. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 64 & 92. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  16. Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 192. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
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