Fugger (currency)

The fugger is the unit of currency used by the nations of Vaheria and its subsidiary Transylvaheria. Its name comes from an archaic description of the first monarch depicted on the coin in medieval times, who was described as being "a righte fugger". The symbol of the fugger is an ornate F - ℱ.

The currency was unique in that until 2018 any form of Fugger coin was accepted as legal tender, resulting in coins from different centuries sometimes being used as a form of payment. This practice was abolished in late 2018, when Queen Elizabelph II finally got round to having a new coin bearing her likeness minted; due to the Queen liking her own picture so much she had all other forms of Fugger currency abolished as legal tender. Her Majestry made it legal law, via a royal decree, that all future iterations of the coinage system are to be replaced upon the coronation of a new monarch.

The Royal Mint
The Royal Mint of Vaheria is situated within the Tower of Lindon, and is where production of the Fugger occurs. The department is managed by the Court Wizard, who ensures all Fugger Coins are appropriately and magically protected from fraud. The coins are enchanted so as to return to the Royal Treasury of Vaheria when they are removed from the country; as such the Fugger is seldom found outside of the nations who have adopted it as their currency. It is an incredibly rare coinage system and has a high international conversion rate. A new coin is minted each year on Coin Day in December, old coins are still considered legal tender and are not demonetised. The current coin features a twelve-sided shape, formed of a gold outer band and a silver circular centre. The obverse features the head of the Queen, the year of production, and the abbreviated title:

D(ei) M(edhue) REG(ina) F(idei) D(efensor) (By the Grace of Medhue, Queen Defender of the Faith).

The reverse features a depiction of the Lemon Tree of Vaheria encircled by the royal diadem, the value of the coin, and the Queen's personal motto:

EGO SUM DENARIUM (I am a coin).

The standard Fugger is the only coin in the current currency of Vaheria.

Counterfeits
The ℱ 1 coin is protected from counterfeiting through use of magic. In 2019 with the introduction of a new coin design, certain criminal gangs believed they would be able to get away with producing a copy of the coin. Their plan was foiled however, when the portrait of the Queen featured on the coins came to life and began berating the criminals and screaming at passersby for help.

The counterfeit coins are easily recognised by their exclusion of the vertical striping & denomination of value depicted in the shield below the Queen's portrait, as well as the intense level of detail in the Queen's hair. The criminals were duly imprisoned.