Money

= Bartering and Money = Money in The Wild Winds is based on the Intrinsic Value of precious metals. Gold, silver, copper, and tin are common metals that coins are made from. It is generally accepted that most people barter and trade - timbers, furs, animals, crops, crafted goods. But money is also accepted since the metal itself has bartering value. It's chiefly pilots, merchants, and people who hire pilots who use actual coinage. Pilots specifically because they can carry a very limited amount of things with them. The shape of coinage, and what marks are put upon them, is not standardized. Nor are there mints to make money with ascribed value. Many pilots also prefer their coins in a ring form that they can string upon chains or sturdy leather/canvas cords and sewn or clipped to the inside of their pockets.

An outlier is aluminum. Aluminum is considered to be far more valuable than gold to many, especially pilots, due to it's lightweight properties.

Value Breakdown
All values based on 1 oz coins/rings

10 copper = 1 tin

10 tin = 1 silver

20 silver = 1 gold

10 gold = 1 aluminum

A person would easily spend 2-3 gold on a full-grown and trained pegasus, more for a premium breed or one with specialized training, or one from a prestigious breed or trainer. A rented room in an Inn might cost you a couple tin. A homestead? A good handful of aluminum coins.