Editing Currency

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[[File:coins_preview.png|right]]The game's '''currency''' is measured in "☼" (''White Sun With Rays'', unicode character U+263C, key combination Alt + NumPad-15), called "dwarfbucks" or "db's" by some players. Each item has a specific trade [[value]] in ☼, determined by what kind of object it is, what it is made of, and (sometimes) [[Item quality|how well it was made]]. Dwarfbucks are an important measure in [[trade]] for bartering goods, allowing both the [[merchant]] and [[Appraiser|trader]] to judge whether the bartered [[trade good]]s are equivalent or not.

[[File:DorfCoin.jpg|228px|thumb|right|This is a stack of 4 Scythe 2008 pewter coins. This is a pewter currency of Scythe from the year 2008. On the front of the coin is a well-designed image of a dwarf.]][[Metal crafter]]s may strike physical coins out of any [[metal]] at the [[metalsmith's forge]]. This process requires one metal [[bar]] and one unit of [[fuel]], and produces one [[stack]] of 500 coins. Each stack of coins has an effective item value of 10, meaning that the value of a stack is 10 × [[material value]] of the component metal, and a given coin is (10 × [[material value]] ÷ 500) of the value of the metal bar that produced it. For example, [[silver]] has a material value of 10, so a stack of 500 silver coins will be worth 10 × 10 = 100☼, and each silver coin in the stack will be worth 10 × 10 ÷ 500, or 0.2☼ (fractional ☼ values are never displayed).

Coins were intended for use with the [[dwarven economy]], until it was removed - in previous versions, [[copper]], [[silver]], and [[gold]] coins had monetary value in addition to their intrinsic value, and dwarves would keep personal stacks of coins as part of their personal accounts. Coins of other metals were widely known as "collector's coins." The [[Entity token#CURRENCY|CURRENCY entity token]], which defines the value of coins, does still exist, but is largely unused. Because of this, coins have no economic use in [[Fortress mode]] aside from trading.

It is possible - although highly inadvisable in the current version - to construct [[danger room]]s which train dwarves' [[armor user]] skills by flinging coins at them.

Coins are commonly found in [[Adventure mode]]. Virtually any intelligent being (dwarf, human etc.) you find can have coins in their inventory - provided they have a suitable container on their person, typically a small [[Tool|pouch]]. Coins from dwarven civilizations are named after the civilization and the year they were minted as described above - other races name their coins after their civilization and the name of the reigning ruler. Each civilization maintains its own currency, and coins minted by one civilization will not retain their value if you travel to a town belonging to a different civilization. For this reason, it can be more practical to exchange excess coinage for other small and valuable (barter) objects like [[gem]]s. Coins are also useful for throwing at enemies.

Human and dwarven civilizations frequently utilize their coins in shops and markets. They seem to be the only civilizations to actually use currency. Elves do not appear to use coins in their trades, goblins do not appear to participate in commerce at all, and kobolds only barely grasp the concept of ''communication'', so expecting them to understand the finer points of economics is a bit mean.

 

Due to the way the game code handles [[size]], stacks of 1 to 31 coins (of the same material) will all weigh the same. In other words, carrying 10 "stacks" of 1 gold coin will weigh 10 times as much as a single stack of 10 gold coins.