Gorean Currency ...

The writing of the Scrolls began circa 1970 Earth time. Goods and services were far cheaper than they are the 30 years since. Earth's economics are more complex and subject to inflation, as there are many interlinked monetary systems on that world.  

Kind of puts things into better perspective, doesn't it? Especially when some lunatic wants to sell a slave for 300 gold (that's $30,000 in 1970's terms). If you can rent a dancer's use in a tavern for two coppers, complete with paga and food (20 cents), why would you pay $30,000 to buy her?

           Average Prices
 
Bread and Paga   2 C.T.
Other Food   3-5 C.T.
Lodging   10 C.T.
Blankets (2)   2 C.T.
Bath   1 C.T.
Bath girl   2 C.T.
Sponge, oil and strigil   1 C.T.
Girl for the night   5 C.T.
Tarn, Meat and Cot   5 C.T.
Kaalia Greens & Stable   2 C.T.
 
 
           Price Lists
 
Animals Alcohol Weapons
Wagons Food Scents
Harness/Tack Household Slaves
Miscellaneous Leathers/Furs Slave paraphernalia
 
           Equation Chart
 
*Copper Tarsk Bit (lowest denomination)
10 copper tarsk bits = 1 copper tarsk
100 copper tarsks = 1 silver tarsk
10 silver tarsks = 1 gold tarn

1 copper tarsk bit = 1 Earth Penny
1 copper tarsk = 1 dime
1 silver tarsk = $10.00
1 gold tarn = $100.00
=
 
           Quotes on Prices
 


"A golden tarn disk was a small fortune. It would buy one of the great birds themselves, or as many as five slave girls."
(Tarnsman of Gor - p. 91)

"Five pieces of gold, in its way, incidentally, is also a fortune on Gor. One could live, for example, in many cities, though not in contemporary Ar, with its press on housing and shortages of food, for years on such resources."
(Magicians of Gor - p. 468)

"...Several of the men about, striking their shoulders in the Gorean fashion, applauded the merchant. He had been very generous. A silver tarsk is, to most Goreans, a coin of considerable value. In most exchanges it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. Ten silver tarsks, usually, is regarded as the equivalent of one gold piece, of one of the high cities. To be sure, there is little standardization in these matters, for much depends on the actual weights of the coins and the quantities of precious metals, certified by the municipal stamps, contained in the coins. Sometimes, too, coins are split and shaved. Further, the debasing of coinage is not unknown. Scales, and rumors, it seems, are often used by coin merchants. One of the central coins on Gor is the golden tarn disk of Ar, against which many cities standardize their own gold piece. Other generally respected coins on Gor tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs to the north and south of the Vosk's delta.
(Rogue of Gor p. 155)

For purposes of comparison, in many paga taverns, one may have paga and food, and a girl for the alcove, if one wants, for a single copper tarsk. Dancers, to be sure, sometimes cost two."
(Renegades of Gor pp. 51-52)