Infrastructural Credits

The standard unit of currency in Infrastructure is the Credit. Each Credit is divided into ten Decicredits and a thousand credits equal one Kilocredit. Coins exist in one and five Decicredit as well as one and two credit denominations, all of which made of steel. Paper banknotes exist in five, ten, twenty, Fifty, One Hundred, Five Hundred and One Kilocredit denomination (The latter is rarely used). The One Decicredit and one Credit coins and the Five and Ten Credit notes are displayed here.

Coinage was known in the Coldlands before the Infrastructural Age, but was somewhat scarce. What coinage that was available was either minted in the Black Ports, was from outside the Coldlands or was crudely stamped discs of precious metals made at a sight were gold, silver, copper could be mined and the odd attempt at introducing pot metal money. Money was more common in the Northwest and less common in the southeast, but most transactions were barter based and many people went their entire lives without ever laying hands on any coin what-so-ever. It's use was mainly limited to warriors, wandering merchants, artisans employed in the manufacture of weaponry, a few furriers, the more successful bandits and inn and barkeepers. Warriors usually used it to buy weapons, armor, luxuries from out of the Coldlands and grain in times of famine and got it from selling furs, surplus grain collected in tax and other foodstuff and slaves.

The introduction of the credit was introduced by the committee as a means of quantifying work in exchange for goods to get people working for them in an easy manner as well as paying the militia for service. Soon after the Survivors took over Dalatyr, the store of agricultural produce gathered in tax as well as several other products including distilled liquor was made available through a store. They started with coins and latter introduced paper notes as well. As the scale of Dalatyr grew, more people made use of these as more people drew wages and more material was brought in. It also spread with the establishment of garrisons and hub towns. As was expected and planned, people used credits amongst themselves and a marketplace emerged. In 6IA the Central Bank of Infrastructure was created to manage more complex affairs of finance.

For the most part, the locals accepted payment in credits without too much fuss. If three credits could procure for them a sack of potatoes during the winter, they were all for them. The cash economy of Infrastructure has needless to say grown by a massive degree. That said, not all are happy with it. For example, foreign merchants tend to take a dim view on the credit as it is A: not based on metallic elements and B: it is not accepted outside of Infrastructure. In the coastal areas it is less popular due to it's increased connection with the outside world and the scale in which a cash economy was present beforehand. This is especially true in The Yards, the most developed Pre-Infrastructural states in the Coldlands and most closely tied with trade. In such areas, enforcement is required. Refusing payment in Credits (A practice referred to as "Magpying" by Infrastructural Authorities) without a special Payment License or demanding higher prices in Credits ("Magpie Rating") is a crime and can be punished with either a fine or up to two years of detentional labor. Posters have been set up around the black ports to inform them of reasonable exchange rates.