Golden Perch Discussion Thread - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Volo · 09-07-2006, 12:56 PM

Not really, I'm not soooo much into Tolkien that I can't enjoy my time with a "mistake" like this...

Just to clarify this matter in case I messed up.

Child of the 7th Age · 09-07-2006, 01:11 PM

Hi, there! I am no expert on Shire money, but I know a bit about medieval currency. However, this is not the last word on things, but my personal opinion....

The Shire would likely have had copper pennies and haypennies, silver pennies (undoubtedly worth more) and something equivalent to a gold sovereign. Also possibly a three penney piece, four penney piece, and a six pence. The penney would have been the basic unit of coinage.

Tolkien mentions that "silver pennies" were paid out in the purchase of Bill the Pony. A pony is a fairly large purchase. Likely copper pennies would be used for food and for a night's lodging. Silver pennies would only be involved with larger purchases or a longer stay at the Inn. Gold coins would normally be reserved for larger transactions. You'd get a lot of change back if you paid for a night's lodgings with a gold coin!

The actual value of medieval coins was their weight in precious metal. This is unlike modern money, which is a "token" currency. However, Tolkien seems to have set the Shire in a "later period" than a place like Rohan so the money may have been more standardized. Of course, the guests at the Inn would also bring currency from their homelands so you probably had a real mishmash of different coins!

I'll try and check and see if I can see any links with more information. If anyone has more precise info, please go ahead and share it too. Hope this helps.

EDIT. Can't seem to find any pertinent links. The Shire Post website does sell "imaginery" shire coins of the type described above. Pio may possibly have more info on this (or she may not

)

Cami Goodchild, Shire Mod

Mithalwen · 09-08-2006, 01:24 PM

Lily, My Cir is talking to Taffy to make sure he knows what he is asking for!

Kath · 09-08-2006, 02:22 PM

Aw does that mean we're not singing the song you posted before? I liked that one.

Mithalwen · 09-09-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kath

Aw does that mean we're not singing the song you posted before? I liked that one.

Oh yes I shall fit that in but I think I shall have to take Taffy's sad and raise it... that was one of the jollier lute songs ..

Anguirel · 09-10-2006, 07:33 AM

I had a brief period playing with a Hobbit at the Dragon, Artifondo Dwellover, who was in fact my first character here. My Golden Percher-who will drop in, I fear, only occasionally-is his grandfather.

NAME: Mister Gandrio Dwellover

AGE: 38

RACE: Hobbit

GENDER: Male

APPEARANCE: Gandrio is stocky and of normal Hobbit height, but moves with determined grace. Wiry brown hair in some abundance covers his hair and feet. His green eyes look rather wary, but his smile is reassuring. He dresses neatly but in plain enough clothes, dirtied often by the toils of the field.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: A proud and upright Hobbit, Gandrio is strictly truthful and can sometimes seem priggish and stern. He has rarely been heard to laugh. He has an exceedingly good ear, though, and can play the flute and viol well enough; singing he finds slightly disreputable, though he appreciates it in others. Young Mr Dwellover is known everywhere for a hard worker, a reliable hand and a credit to his mother Romilia, but perhaps slightly dull company. He has few close friends outside his family. Gandrio is known for very good taste in wine and cheese, though he does not overindulge in either.

HISTORY: Gandrio is the only child of Ernifondo and Romilia Dwellover, due to the early death of his father, who married late. He has been brought up strictly and correctly by his mother Romilia to look after the Dwellover farm with conscientiousness. His main companions are his cousins, older married men; he is unused, it must be said, to the company of Hobbit lasses. After coming of age five years ago, he has been seen at the Golden Perch more often, but more because it is the sort of thing a fully-grown Hobbit should do than because he actually enjoys it.

Mithalwen · 09-10-2006, 01:24 PM

Kath, I have had Cir take on the usurpers with the fall of Gil galad ... so I think the mood will soon need lightening before everyone starts crying in their beer!!

If you want that lute song it is here I substituted Arien for Cynthia....

09-07-2006, 12:56 PM	#1
Volo Silver in My Silent Heart Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the great beauty Posts: 1,611	Not really, I'm not soooo much into Tolkien that I can't enjoy my time with a "mistake" like this... Just to clarify this matter in case I messed up. __________________ Fenris Wolf The EVEN NEWER Barrow-Downs Photo Page

09-07-2006, 01:11 PM	#2
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Hi, there! I am no expert on Shire money, but I know a bit about medieval currency. However, this is not the last word on things, but my personal opinion.... The Shire would likely have had copper pennies and haypennies, silver pennies (undoubtedly worth more) and something equivalent to a gold sovereign. Also possibly a three penney piece, four penney piece, and a six pence. The penney would have been the basic unit of coinage. Tolkien mentions that "silver pennies" were paid out in the purchase of Bill the Pony. A pony is a fairly large purchase. Likely copper pennies would be used for food and for a night's lodging. Silver pennies would only be involved with larger purchases or a longer stay at the Inn. Gold coins would normally be reserved for larger transactions. You'd get a lot of change back if you paid for a night's lodgings with a gold coin! The actual value of medieval coins was their weight in precious metal. This is unlike modern money, which is a "token" currency. However, Tolkien seems to have set the Shire in a "later period" than a place like Rohan so the money may have been more standardized. Of course, the guests at the Inn would also bring currency from their homelands so you probably had a real mishmash of different coins! I'll try and check and see if I can see any links with more information. If anyone has more precise info, please go ahead and share it too. Hope this helps. EDIT. Can't seem to find any pertinent links. The Shire Post website does sell "imaginery" shire coins of the type described above. Pio may possibly have more info on this (or she may not ) Cami Goodchild, Shire Mod __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote. Last edited by Child of the 7th Age; 09-07-2006 at 01:28 PM.

09-08-2006, 01:24 PM	#3
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	Lily, My Cir is talking to Taffy to make sure he knows what he is asking for! __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

09-08-2006, 02:22 PM	#4
Kath Everlasting Whiteness Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Perusing the laminated book of dreams Posts: 4,533	Aw does that mean we're not singing the song you posted before? I liked that one. __________________ “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

09-10-2006, 07:33 AM	#6
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	A character from me... I had a brief period playing with a Hobbit at the Dragon, Artifondo Dwellover, who was in fact my first character here. My Golden Percher-who will drop in, I fear, only occasionally-is his grandfather. NAME: Mister Gandrio Dwellover AGE: 38 RACE: Hobbit GENDER: Male APPEARANCE: Gandrio is stocky and of normal Hobbit height, but moves with determined grace. Wiry brown hair in some abundance covers his hair and feet. His green eyes look rather wary, but his smile is reassuring. He dresses neatly but in plain enough clothes, dirtied often by the toils of the field. PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: A proud and upright Hobbit, Gandrio is strictly truthful and can sometimes seem priggish and stern. He has rarely been heard to laugh. He has an exceedingly good ear, though, and can play the flute and viol well enough; singing he finds slightly disreputable, though he appreciates it in others. Young Mr Dwellover is known everywhere for a hard worker, a reliable hand and a credit to his mother Romilia, but perhaps slightly dull company. He has few close friends outside his family. Gandrio is known for very good taste in wine and cheese, though he does not overindulge in either. HISTORY: Gandrio is the only child of Ernifondo and Romilia Dwellover, due to the early death of his father, who married late. He has been brought up strictly and correctly by his mother Romilia to look after the Dwellover farm with conscientiousness. His main companions are his cousins, older married men; he is unused, it must be said, to the company of Hobbit lasses. After coming of age five years ago, he has been seen at the Golden Perch more often, but more because it is the sort of thing a fully-grown Hobbit should do than because he actually enjoys it. __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

09-10-2006, 01:24 PM	#7
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	Kath, I have had Cir take on the usurpers with the fall of Gil galad ... so I think the mood will soon need lightening before everyone starts crying in their beer!! If you want that lute song it is here I substituted Arien for Cynthia.... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

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