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So I searched through the 4th ed. Player's Guide looking for coin denominations, exchange rates, weights, etc., and I found an omission. Currency is on p. 404, and the value of a True Wood coin is not found! Also missing is a description of the coin.

So if I understand it all correctly, the coinage is as follows:

Coin__________Value (SC)_________Weight (oz)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Copper________1/10_______________1/3
Silver__________1_________________1/4
Gold___________10________________1/5
TRUE ELEMENT COINS
Earth__________100_______________1/10
Water_________100________________1/10
Air___________1,000_______________1/10
Fire__________1,000_______________1/10
Wood__________???________________1/10
Orichalcum___10,000_______________1/10

From what I have gathered from online resources, as well as changes between editions, the true wood coin could be valued at 100, 500, or 1,000 silver coins. So the answer isn't obvious.

I don't believe there is officially a true wood coin. I looked at the 1st edition core book and the 3rd edition player's guide (the ones I have conveniently at hand) and both of them only mention air, earth, fire and water.

The other True Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) can not be stored long term in any container other than Orichalcum. The original purpose of the elemental coins was that they were a stable and relatively cheap way to store and transport the True Elements, their secondary purpose as instruments of trade came later. I think a round trip conversion Element to Coin, back to Element involves a 10% loss of the True Element, but for many this is still cheaper or more convenient than using Orichalcum containers.

True wood is the one True Element that does not need to be stored in an Orichalcum container, thus there was never any particular reason to develop a standardized True Wood Coin (though one could probably carve some True wood into coin shape, but doing so would probably ruin it for most other purposes).

Greetings,

If you want to make a True wood coin (Companion, p. 128), it's value is 500 sp. However, they're not used as currency in the same way as the others, likely related to the scarcity of True wood and no real mining operations for it unlike the other four elements. It could also be due to the curious place it holds, like a late addition to the line-up. For example, the Warrior example Karma Ritual omits wood from the maneuvers.

Hopefully this is helpful.

Best regards,

Morgan

Thanks! That information is very helpful.