standard currency

Most Scarterran nations use the same or a very similar system of a precious metal based economy.   A standard coin is made of copper, silver, gold, or on rare occasions platinum and weighs 1/50th of a pound. So a pound of gold is worth is 50 gold pieces and a pound of silver is worth 50 silver pieces, and so on and so forth.   Bullion is usually traded in 5 pound bars worth 250 standard coins of their type.   Coins are sometimes chopped in half or quarters to make half coins or quarter coins. Sometimes smaller coins are minted which weigh a 1/100th of a pound or 1/200th of a pound respectively and officially. These are called ha'coins or quarter coins.   Most coins are stamped with the portrait of a king or queen on one side and a corresponding national coat of arms on opposite side. Coins are not valuable because they have a picture of a monarch stamped on them, they are valuable because they represent a known quantity of a precious metal. Essentially, the king or queen's potrait signifies that the monarch is ensuring that the weight and purity of this coin is within standard parameters.   Defrauding somone with a devalued coin is a serious offense. Most coins are ridged to prevent coin shaving and most merchants won't accept a coin without ridges or they will break out a scale to verify a coin's weight.  

In terms of value

  ten copper pieces equal a silver piece   Ten silver pieces equal a gold piece   Five gold pieces equal a platinum piece.