When one deals with Medieval coinage, say in the context of a TTRPG, the terms “Penny” & “Groat” come up, but far too many folks don’t understand that these terms convey important specifics about the coin in question.
Let us, for the sake of simplicity, restrict this post to coins made of silver, and move forward from there. A ‘silver penny’ is a thin coin, a ‘silver groat’ is a thick one. Generally, having a value of 12 pennies, pence, dinars, or whatever you’re calling them. It’s a standard that persisted for centuries, regardless of the precious metal content of the coins, or their origin.
Simple, right?
By using the terms correctly in your games, you’ll be increasing verisimilitude and spreading factual knowledge, not just tossing around random words. This is and excellent habit to get into.
Thank you for reading, as always, your comments are welcome.
Image of a “Prague Groat”, via Polish WIKI.
Klabautermann's Hammer 