Larp Couture

Commodity money is what Scrooge McDuck uses as a swimming pool- it’s money that derives it’s worth from its components. Money made of gold is worth more or less depending on the value of gold, and is thus commodity money. American paper money is worth more when America is worth more, no matter how much the paper it’s printed on costs, and thus obviously is not. (It is, in fact, fiat money.

Both types are very common at larps, though fiat money rarely comes in paper. There’s something viscerally pleasing about having coin jingling in your pocket, even if it mostly pleases your inner five year old, who’s pretty sure that much loose change means the candy machine is going to be giving up its treasures soon. Some games have banks, but why deny your inner child? Instead, consider diversifying your money.

All of these items have been used as money at some point in history:

• Rice
• Tobacco
• Rubies
• Silver
• Sapphires
• Jade
• Gold
• Gold dust
• Sea shells
• Barley
• Arrow heads
• Cattle

The physical items that pass through your players hands when they purchase things will heavily influence the feel of your game. Buying a sword with a gold coin is a very different experience compared to buying it with a pile of sea shells, or a young cow, or the ring you took off a bandit. Players will often want predictibility in the economy, so make it obvious what things are worth. But don’t be afraid to experiment!

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