Fictional monetary system: How's this sound...?

[Tarquelne]

Feudal Japan tied their money to rice. Why not?

Right! Koku. I should have remembered that from Japanese-themed computer games, if nothing else. That'll be worth investigationg. Downloading some info on the Dojima Exchange now ...

 

[Tarquelne]

Ennat stayed with the Finushes for a watch or two, leaving them a handful of shell rings when he departed. The rings were sliced from small – the best were about half-cubit long – colorful, cone-shaped sea snails. Ennat thought this rather unkind, given that he couldn’t imagine a sea snail ever bothering anyone. Ha! Like many snails, those used for making shell rings were hunters and each possessed a tiny, envenomed, tooth. Ennat was blissfully unaware that these teeth, anchored to something disturbingly like a tongue-arm, were projected from the snail’s mouth with considerable force. Normally used for catching prey, the beasts often wielded the harpoon-like appendages against shell divers: simple, hard-working employees of the Lugal. Each shell ring, then, was a trophy won from one of nature’s most rapacious predators. Yet, Ennat preferred metal. It had vastly more buying power despite manifest incapacities with regard to spear-fishing. Shell rings, however, were all the Finushes expected.

Ennat knew they deserved more! After all, they'd performed a service of inestimable value. They'd saved not just any life; they'd saved his life. Unfortunately, they couldn't legally possess cash-metal. As Ennat walked he mused about how to reward them properly. A couple of animals? Chickens? Too small. And they'd laugh about the loincloth again. Those wild mule-things, what were they called? Onagers. No, they bit, didn't they? Oxen would be better. Or something. A pair of oxen might be inconvenient. So one ox.

I believe I've got it pretty much figured out. Thanks, guys.

Barley, as a commodity, would have commonly been used alongside precious metals - and everything else - as barter. Precious metals and barley, though, were in high-demand and relatively portable, so they were used as a sort of proto-money.

Shell rings are issued by the government in place of some of its grain payments, and can be traded for grain at certain places, such as government warehouses. Generally at the rate the government uses.

Shell rings are more convenient than barley, and in most ways not financially riskier. They are breakable, but they won't spoil. Their value might fall ... but if you're being payed in shell rings your not likely involved in wealth-accumulation, anyway. Which is the way those who are like it.

Counterfeiting isn't really an issue: If you want to go catch some snails - getting ones the right size before the government divers is going to be the hard part - laboriously slice them up, then polish the rings ... more power to you. You'll have trouble making much more than your fairly-skilled labor would be worth if legitimately employed, but with considerably higher personal risk.

If you accumulate any halfway serious capital, or need to do something involving a value best expressed in silver, like buy a house or sell a family member, a local Temple will act as a bank for you. They'll make sure they, the government, and local officials all get their piece. (Say "thank you" to the powers that be for giving you rock-solid social stability.)

 

[Hygro]

I'd say that works pretty well.