Gorean Currency
"Gorean garments, generally,
incidentally, except for the garments of craftsmen, do not have pockets.
Coins, and personal items, and such, are usually, by free persons, carried
in pouches, which are usually concealed within the robes of a free woman,
or slung about the waist, or shoulder, of a free man." Book 16, Guardsman
of Gor page 250
COPPER TARSK:
a copper coin
"One of the guardsmen opened her mouth, not gently, and retrieved the coin,
a rather large one, a tarsk bit. Ten such coins make a copper tarsk. A
hundred copper tarsks make a silver tarsk" Book 13, Explorers of Gor, page
54
"I would say about five copper tarsks, in a fourth-class market, perhaps
even an item in a group sale. She is beautiful, but not particularly beautiful,
as female slaves go. She is obviously ignorant and untrained. She does
have good ankles." Book 13, Explorers of Gor, page 18
GOLD TARN DISK:
a unit of currency of the highest value on Gor
"A golden tarn disk was a small fortune. It would buy one of the great
birds themselves, or as many as five slave girls." Book 1, Tarnsman of
Gor, page 191
SILVER TARSK:
a coin worth 100 copper tarks in most cities. Ten silver tarks is the equivalent
of one gold piece of one of the high cities.
"One of the guardsmen opened her mouth, not gently, and retrieved the coin,
a rather large one, a tarsk bit. Ten such coins make a copper tarsk. A
hundred copper tarsks make a silver tarsk" Book 13, Explorers of Gor, page
54
"Actually, fifty silver tarn disks was an extremely high price, and indicated
the girl was probably of high caste as well as extremely beautiful. An
ordinary girl, of low caste, comely but untrained, might, depending on
the market, sell for as little as five or as many as thirty tarn disks."
Book 2, Outlaw of Gor, page 193
"The price for a good sleen pelt is now a silver tarsk," said Arn. Then
he held out his cup again to Cara. "More wine," he said." Book 8, Hunters
of Gor, page 23
TARSK BIT:
a large coin worth from 1/10 to 1/4 of a copper tarsk depending on the
city which mints the coin.
"One of the guardsmen opened her mouth, not gently, and retrieved the coin,
a rather large one, a tarsk bit. Ten such coins make a copper tarsk. A
hundred copper tarsks make a silver tarsk" Book 13, Explorers of Gor, page
54
ON SLAVES CARRYING MONEY:
"The girl was not pleased to be delayed on her errand, but a slave on Gor
does not wisely ignore the address of a Free Man. She spit the coins she
carried in her mouth into her hand, and told me what I wanted to know."
Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 165
"The girl did not now, of course, carry a purse. Slave girls are not permitted
to carry such things. When shopping she carries the coins usually in her
mouth or hand. Sometimes she ties them in a scarf about her wrist or ankle."Book
16, Guardsman of Gor, page 250
(me'shan thinks that she might be able to assume,
that since the slave was not struck down dead after spitting the money
into her hand, that obviously slaves are allowed to touch money.)
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