Coffee!

[Birdland]

Interesting thoughts, M.O.W. It alsmost deserves a thread of its own, regarding Tolkien's choices as to what he included or didn't include in mythological "Britain". (I always wondered about the lack of the printing press, myself.)

The real challenge would be the lack of clear monetary exchange and a reliance on barter, debts and some exchange of recognized units of species.

I can only assume that the people of Middle-Earth and parts South believed in the "gold standard". Various countries may have had their own versions of coin, but if it was gold, it was good. Some measure of worth may have been decided on, based on weight.

Possibly, a luxury item such as coffee must have been "worth its weight in gold."

And of course, "jools" could close a deal as well.