Rant of the Moment: Topic - Currency

Post by **Haplo** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:03 pm

I am somewhat puzzled why there are different terms to the gold in TES III, as there are three (3), and maybe even more terms for the currency here;

there's GOLD, (referred to as gold because of the color) which is just a loose term, and the most common when there is not a number before or after it.

there's DRAKES, which is a term used when talking about any number of money inparticular, i.e. "lose a few drakes", or "100 drakes would keep 'im quiet, I think". (not sure, but I think this term was derived from the earlier term used by the greeks; drachma; plural - drachmas. pronounced drokma(s))

and

there's SEPTIMS, which is a term used when referring to specific amounts of money for official transactions. i.e. "here is your reward of 2000 Septims, or "I will pay 500 Septims for the capture of so&so."
(Septims is referred to as such because it is the emperor's gold, and the emperor at the time was Tiber SEPTIM. It is capitalized because Septim is the emperor's last name.)

Here ends my rant of the moment. TOPIC - Currency
---
please list any other terms, lore, or history about the currency of the empire here.

Post by **Haplo** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:06 pm

also, would the beast races or maybe the wild elves use differing currency? Maybe the Argonian & Khajiit use minerals or something similar when gold is not available( as in Star Wars, republic credits are used for inner galaxy worlds, and for outer, Dennubian credits, or if none is available, crystalline vertex is accepted in both the inner and outer worlds.)

sterio · Post by **sterio** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:13 pm

Possibly in some obscure places people might also use certain goods (such as minerals) but I don't think we should make that available for the player to use. I'd guess that drakes are an older term for money, which is therefore seldom used when talking about a special amount of money but is still there in sayings and such, and gold is probably an informal word used only because of the color of the coins. The only places that might not be using them would probably be in Elsweyr and Black Marsh, but Septims would be generally used in those provinces also...

Cep · Post by **Cep** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:20 pm

I don't really see the reason to be confused.

Gold describes the coin, Septims are the official name of the currency and drakes are the nickname.

Like the British Pound, we call em nuggets because they are gold, the offical name is Pound Sterling and there are so many nicknames I can't list them all here.

Post by **Haplo** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:48 pm

im just not sure which name came first, the drake or the Septim

sterio · Post by **sterio** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 8:08 pm

I'm fairly certain it's Drake.

Hermit · Post by **Hermit** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 8:13 pm

Historically, the 'drake' (alos Drachme) was the greek currency; in TES, I think, it is the general term of the money the imperials use. "Septims" refer to the current royal line; it was comon usage for the emperors of old to imprint their face on the currency as soon as they came to power (it would have to be "Uriels" then, but maybe in TES, it's the royal family whose coat of arms is imprinted into coins). As for gold, it's just a more sloppy term for money.

Most currencies that have been around for some time have developed a lot of names. Take the dollar, the pound (one of the oldest still circulating currencies), even the Euro has some nicknames already.

I don't think it's strange that TES 'people' refer to their currency by more than one name. In fact, it's all the more realistic, and IMO adds to the game's richness.

Post by **Haplo** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 8:45 pm

that was very nice hermit, and also interesting to read stuff I already knew, but please, that still doesnt tell me which one came first, definitely.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 11:45 pm

Septim (being the official name of the currency) came first, Drake (no relation to the drachma) is a term derived from Tiber Septim's (as well as the empire's) ties to dragon-kind.

Hermit · Post by **Hermit** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:15 am

Hunh. You sure about that, Magnus? Is there an image of a dragon on the coin? That would connect the currency with the dragon. Otherwise, that would seem a tad bit far fetched for my taste.

It'd be interesting to know what money was called in the first era - Cyrodiilis?

And, haplo, err ... what?! :look:

sterio · Post by **sterio** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:40 am

That's an interesting idea Magnus, one that I've never seen before. It could well be like that, after all, why would the currency on Tamriel be nicknamed after a Greek currency in the real world. Or, what is also possible, Bethesda didn't give that word as much thought as we do

Sniper4 · Post by **Sniper4** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:10 am

Septim= More official term, much like the "dollar" is to the U.S.

Drake= Nickname. Kind of like "bucks" to the U.S. Now where drakes came from, I don't know. But where did bucks come from

?

<edit> Now that I think about. Hermit could probably find something to answer that.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:37 am

Blast if I can't find anything official to substantiate my previous statement about the reasoning for the term drake. I'm beyond certain I've heard an explanation at least close to the one I gave in some authoritative context, but now I can't think of where (figures, memory has more holes than a good swiss cheese). I know as much that the only real interpretation of drake is either derived from drachma; which just doesn't make that much sense to me, but I've been wrong before, a type of duck; absolutely no sense to that, is there? Or something relating to dragons, which given the history of the empire and the principal deity Akatosh, just seems the logical source of the term.

Hermit · Post by **Hermit** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 7:40 am

Now that you say that, it DOES make sense. One coin side shows the holy first emperor (god Tiber SEPTIM), the other shows Akatosh (in his Dragon form). I'm sure I've read that somewhere.

Mmmmh - well, I might have a look at the money's textures, that would explain it, wouldn't it?

Lord_Gallant · Post by **Lord_Gallant** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 4:32 pm

The word "drake" is synonymous to "dragon" in Tamriel. The "drake" is a symbol of the Empire, the same as the dragon. Why a dragon? Mostly because of Akatosh, God of Time. Have you ever heard the Imperials in game say something like "All hail to the Drake, citizen"? They are basically saying, "All hail to the Empire/Emperor".

Therefore, a "drake" describes a coin minted by the Empire, because of the symbolism.

I am not really a fan of historical references or words applied to Tamirel. Especially when it is not the exact word and it just sounds like it. I just don't think that is what the developers had in mind when making these games.

Post by **Haplo** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 9:09 pm

I was jumpy because I spent a day finalizing a project my friends and I made, and I was looking forward to going to the bathroom and taking my time in doing it, and I could only spend 5 minutes in the bathroom.

So now that i've spent four and a half leisurely hours in the bathroom, my mood is calmed much now

Lord_Gallant · Post by **Lord_Gallant** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 10:43 pm

That was the most unappetizing post I think I've read yet. To think I just got back from Subway and was eating my sandwich when I was unfortunate enough to stumble into a post about Haplo12345 "taking his time" in the bathroom.

I seriously don't think I can finish this sandwich, lol.

Eraser · Post by **Eraser** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 10:50 pm

Please just say you were just busy next time, we really don't need to know that:sick:

Sniper4 · Post by **Sniper4** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 4:31 am

Don't worry Haplo. I spent like 1.5 hours in the bathroom once. Man did that hurt.

Earl · Post by **Earl** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 5:58 am

I once spent. . . hmm. . . I suppose it doesn't count when you're passed out drunk. . .

*cough*

And that's my input on monetary terms :)

Post by **Haplo** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 4:11 pm

Alright, I'll keep quiet about my diabolical plans to script plants that are made into comodes and eat you up if your not a nord...just for Eraser and LordGallant

Class Creator · Post by **Class Creator** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 2:41 am

I will try to answer the original question also:

Questions:

Septim= More official term, much like the "dollar" is to the U.S.

Nickname. Kind of like "bucks" to the U.S. Now where drakes came from, I don't know. But where did bucks come from ?

1) Septim= More official term, much like the "dollar" is to the U.S.

2) Drake= Nickname. Kind of like "bucks" to the U.S. Now where drakes came from, I don't know.

3) But where did bucks come from?
----
Answers:

1) Septim: When referring to coinage, refers to the face on the "Top" of the coin. (ie someone saying, "can I borrow a few Franklins" if he wanted to borrow a few hundred dollars.

2) Drake= As L_G said, referring to Tiber Septim's dragon form. (see Norse: Drakken, dragon ship. From Drakken Drake derives, hence the term when referring to the coin)

3) Bucks came from the early American paper currency when, on the back, there would be a buck on back of the paper bills.
===

The top two are speculation based on the texture shown on gold coins, as in the game.

The third is found by looking at several early American paper bills during school.