Valuable Materials in Exalted

[Andrew02]

I do not have Manacle and Coin readily available, which might answer my question, so I apologize.


In Creation, there are a handful of currencies I can recall. There is the Jade backed currency of the Realm, and the silver currency backed by the Guild. In the West, there is a currency where seashells are the monetary unit.


Obviously, things like silk, spices, wines, and so on are valuable trade goods.


But, say, things like diamonds, emeralds, gold, and so on . . . are these things valuable? Silver, if memory serves, is generally only valued due to the Guild's use of the metal as the material for  their money.


To the best of my knowledge, beyond highly specialized uses such as the distillation of Orichalcum from gold, the metal is not as valuable (if it is valued at all) in Creation as it is in our world. Does anyone have any thoughts, official word, etc?

 

[Persell]

Gems most definately are worth it. That's why the city-state of Gem stays in business.


Materials like Jade are valuable because of their magical properties. But since there is no one around to make use of gold for it's magical properties it may not be. On the other hand in the Twilight book there is specific mention of DB operating a gold mine. So maybe it does hold value, but just not as much as jade.

 

[Haku1]

Gold is sparkly and can be used in jewellery, beyond that... not likely to be valuable.

 

[Persell]

my theory is that gold is Valuable


it's just not used as the underlying base of a currency


gold is probably valued by it's comparison to silver or jade rather than the modern day of gold being the benchmark

 

[Joseph]

Gold is sparkly and can be used in jewellery, beyond that... not likely to be valuable.

The Guild WILL value gold.  Why?  Because it's both attractive AND rare.  Anything that fulfills those two criteria will have substantial demand; people like attractive things, and people like the status symbol that comes with owning rare things.  Anything that has substantial demand, the Guild will find valuable.


The reason I suspect gold is not actually used as currency is a hold over from the First Age.  Unlike Moonsilver (which can only be made from silver harvested in a VERY particular way), ANY gold can be turned into Orichalcum.  Thus, the Solars wouldn't have wasted it in currency form, given its rarity.  Almost all harvested gold would have been queued for Orichalcum Transmutation.  Jade and silver, on the other hand, were both incredibly common, and silver mined by mortal hands can't be made into Moonsilver.  Thus, the two made excellent currency, and remain such to this day.


But I'd say a hunk of gold would be worth quite a bit to the Guild.

 

[Joseph]

The same, of course, applies to rare gemstones and other such things.

 

[Arthemis Rex]

my idea is that gold was used in the 1st age under the solar deliberative and would have been used extensively by them both as currency and for any Unconquered Sun related objects that were not orichalcum artifacts


like the golden candlesticks and chandaliers mirror frames and staues of solar manses and temples


this is a great solar or sidereal story hook because maybe the Immaculates banned gold currency or discouraged it or perhaps the dragon bloods view it with great distaste


this sudden loss of renown for the god of gold could result in his or her unemplayment from yu-shan


a down and out gold god is a kinda cool side character and he is likely a servant of or is very loyal to the Unconquered Sun and could help a circle of solars rediscover former glory- in exhange for making the banned gold the official currency of their kingdoms and empires


as for shell money- i think wampum would be the most valuble the magnificance ( and versitility- jewelry buttons cufflinks belts ceremonial gear) makes the inside of the Quahog clam shell extremely valuble as shells go although clam and mussel shells historically are valuble and are used for gorgets and other jewelry by the native americans and for that classic mother of pearl cameos and brooches of the victorian age

 

[Flagg]

That "god of gold" idea is pretty cool, Rex. I think I might use that.


-S

 

[Kajata]

I think that gold probably is worth just as much in exalted as it is in our word, but the fact still remains, Jade is worth more.  Why?  Because it's directly magical.  Sure gold can be turned into orichalcum by a specific process, but Jade is already magical.  Besides, the DBs use it, hence, at the current point in time, it is most valuable.  To value gold (sun related item) above Jade would probably be an affront to the dragons.


In the first age I'm guessing that Jade was used as it was still a MM (thus valuable) but common, leaving it more valuable than gold, but still less rare and in demand than orichalcum/moonsilver/starmetal.  If orichalcum was lying around, I'm pretty sure that would have been state-currancy, but the Solars wanted it.


As for the current age, I'd just say that the DBs dislike anything reminding them of the solars.  Besides, Jade is probably just more valuable due to its magical properties, and there's enough of it around to be able to make it into coins without seriously effecting the Realm's artifact making potential.

 

[Flagg]

Doesn't one of the books mention that the Realm keeps most major veins of gold under guard?


I think the Bronze Faction makes a concerted effort to keep it out of circulation.


-S

 

[Spook]

the Realm keeps gold mines guarded because natural orichalcum viens can sometimes be found within.

 

[wordman]

Gold is sparkly and can be used in jewellery, beyond that... not likely to be valuable.

Much of gold's appeal in our own world (until recently) is that, more than being sparkly and malleable, it doesn't tarnish or rust. Gold coins that have been on the bottom of the ocean for thousands of years still can look like new. Coins of copper, silver or nearly anything else, would have oxidized into oblivion in that ocean long ago.


This property has obvious associations with immortality, which is why Chinese alchemists tried for so long to turn gold into a form that could be digested.


Now days, gold is also valued as one of the better electrical conductors. You could argue that there is some magical analog at work there as well.

 

[Flagg]

the Realm keeps gold mines guarded because natural orichalcum viens can sometimes be found within.

I don't recall very well. Are these mines sealed, or just guarded against maurauding Anathema, but otherwise in operation?


The former would suggest that it would be pretty hard to get your hands on the stuff, at least anywhere under Realm control.


-S

 

[Spook]

I don't recall very well. Are these mines sealed, or just guarded against maurauding Anathema, but otherwise in operation?


The former would suggest that it would be pretty hard to get your hands on the stuff, at least anywhere under Realm control.

Bo3C just says that known depsoits of orichalcum are dearly guarded.