Discovered pirate coins might solve mystery...Arrgh!

Rick · 28th April 2021, 09:46 PM

I expect that this post is just a rehash of Fernando's above.

From a bit of research I have found that nondescript foriegn coins in that age that were made from gold or silver were valued by weight. I expect innkeepers and tavern owners kept a small balance scale and weights. If one knew (for example) the value of a Thaler then the equivalent weight in silver could be adjudged as the same.
Purity and counterfeit might be a problem; I always think of the image of a merchant biting a coin to asses its purity.

28th April 2021, 09:46 PM	#14
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,376	I expect that this post is just a rehash of Fernando's above. From a bit of research I have found that nondescript foriegn coins in that age that were made from gold or silver were valued by weight. I expect innkeepers and tavern owners kept a small balance scale and weights. If one knew (for example) the value of a Thaler then the equivalent weight in silver could be adjudged as the same. Purity and counterfeit might be a problem; I always think of the image of a merchant biting a coin to asses its purity.