All provinces of Santharia use the same monetary system introduced during the time of Santhros the Wise when the ancient kingdoms were united to the United Kingdom of Santharia.

Concept. What is special about Santharian currency is the concept which also reflects in the design of the coins: On the one hand the currency holds the eight provinces of the realm together by providing an economical symbol the people from all ancient kingdoms can identfy with. The general Santharian currency doesn't only make trading a lot easier, it's also an important instument of better understanding of other races, habits and beliefs and therefore represents one of the most important factors for the unity of the kingdom as a whole. On the other hand the local celebrities of the provinces are honored at the local versions of the coins. While on the obverse of the coin general Santharian symbols are depicted throughout all provinces (e.g. the four interlocking hands as shown on the main Santharian coat of arms at the hak coin), the front shows famous people of the corresponding province.

What is most interesting in this concept is the fact that the coins of the provinces featuring the province's design mixed with other provinces' coins in the course every time when trading transactions were done. This way northern provinces also use e.g. Stratanian coins and thus learn a lot about southern culture and the other way round.

Additional note: No magic is used in the formation of coinage. You see, there isn't a single wizard who hasn't thought of minting his own coins, but the protection against this is a simple enchantment any wizard can usually make much better money doing.

Any attempt to use magic to force metal into a shape leaves distinctive traces. The metal takes a shorter time to cool or heat than non-affected, it tends to spark before storms, and in general the metal looks too perfectly shiny. A simple enchantment (takes an hour, a piece of wood, and a sample of the coin/s to be screened, plus payment) will make a piece of wood into a detector of magically forged coins; if waved over a pile of coins, any sorcerously faked ones leap onto the wood.

Wizards who find themselves in need of money usually can get plenty of it by selling appropriately enchanted pieces of wood to merchants, and by mandate of the Wizard's Guild of Ximax (deal with economic representation of wizardry) all enchantments of this type only last a year. Standard price for the enchantment is three Silverbards.

	Coins Overview Coin Name Value Appearance San Smallest coin Round copper coin with milled edge, bearing the portrait of a local province's celebrity on one side, and [...] on the obverse. Very common coin. Su 3 san Copper triangle with rounded corners, bearing the portrait of a local province's celebrity on one side, and [...] on the obverse. Less well-known coin. Erg 4 san Brass square with rounded corners, bearing the portrait of a local province's celebrity on one side, and [...] on the obverse. Worth 4 san. Less well-known coin. Od 10 san An elongated slug of brass, not commonly used in exchange but as a standard for weight measurement. Scored along all faces so that shaving can be easily detected. No portrait or other markings, common to all provinces. Equals 10 san. Hak 50 san, 5 od, 1 copperbard Iron pentagon with rounded corners, bearing the portrait of a local province's celebrity on one side, and four interlocking hands on the obverse. The interlocking hands represent the races of the kingdom and can be also found at the Santharian coat of arms. [No image available yet] Copperbard 50 san, 5 od Round coin, bearing the portrait of famous bards throughout the country and [...] on the obverse. The Copperbard has the equivalent value as the less common Hak. W'aer 100 san, 10 od, equals 1 silverbard Silver hexagon with rounded corners, bearing the portrait of a local province's celebrity on one side, and [...] on the obverse. The W'aer has the equivalent value as the more common Silverbard. Silverbard 100 san, 10 od, equals 1 w'aer Round coin, bearing the portrait of famous bards throughout the country and [...] on the obverse. The Silverbard has the equivalent value as the less common W'aer. Nune 1000 san, 100 od, 10 silver w'aer, 1 goldbard Gold octagon with rounded corners, bearing the portrait of a local province's celebrity on one side, and [...] on the obverse. [No image available yet] Goldbard 1 nune or 10 silverbards Round coin, bearing the portrait of famous bards throughout the country and [...] on the obverse. The Goldbard has the equivalent value as the less common nune. Mithrene 100 gold nune Very rare tensided mithril coin, only used in royal transactions and intercontinental gifts. Portrait of an adamant dragon, representation of Avá dreaming on the obverse.

History. Since the founding of the United Kingdom of Santharia at the time of Santhros the Wise, the Santharians - humans, elves, dwarves and halflings alike - use the same currency system for trading within the confines of the kingdom. Santharian currency was initially introduced by Santhros in the 7th year of his reign (7 a.S.) as a sign of unity between the regions and the races, first only in the northernmost provinces (Nermeran, Vardýnn, Enthronia), which already had been part of the Tharian kingdom, later on in all parts of Santharia. After first concerns the new currency was accepted throughout the country. Since the introduction of the Santhros-coins there were only a few changes in the design of the coins. Most of the coin designs are still in use, more than 16 centuries after the introduction of the general Santharian currency.

Coins of the Province of Manthria Coin Name Depicted Person Function n.a. San Troi Ciosa Glandorian explorer and founder of the city Ciosa off of the South-Eastern coast of Santharia. Founded the city in 11348 B.S. Description: Male full faced, bald, with a spyglass up to his eye. n.a. Su Thorgeir Ciosa Troi Ciosa's heir, named his people "Avennorians" (Bavera's children) Description: Male full faced with goatee with a harpoon in his hands about to harpoon a whale. n.a. Erg Erg Barek Swanhild Aeruillin slave who became king in 1653 b.S. and a wealthy shipbuilder. Description: Male full faced clean shaven standing behind a wheel of a ship. n.a. Od None No portrait or other markings, common to all provinces. n.a. Hak Okar Snivild Explorer and discoverer of the Island of Doranthakar. Description: Male half faced, full bearded looking at a pearl. n.a. W'aer Anir Snivild Last king of the Avennorians, beheaded by the Erpheronian king Korpicor for treason in 749 b.S. Description: Male half faced clean shaven with a flying banner above his head that reads "Snivild Shipbuilders". n.a. Nune Rekj Swanhild Son of Barek Swanhild, started the 700 year old war in 1642 b.S. against the city of Shan'thai on the Aeruillin continent to stop the slavery there. Description: A male full faced, bearded and crowned.

Coins of the Province of Vardýnn Coin Name Depicted Person Function n.a. San Xeantoes A Silvershire halfling Eyashene n.a. Su Mahiara Brunsdottor A peasant heroine n.a. Erg Amalgin Starreader A dwarven navigator n.a. Od None No portrait or other markings, common to all provinces. n.a. Hak [...] [...] n.a. W'aer Katya Dragonseeker Human heroine during the beginning of the Age of Awakening and later on Erpheronian Queen Katya the Just. n.a. Nune Asa'llá Avaránn A mythical elven queen of the Astyrhim elves