The Price of a Credit

[Darth Vulcanus]

So I'll make this a quick post to start discussion. I've always wondered how one can measure the price of a galactic credit to real world currency. Doing a one-to-one comparison from credits to modern US dollars doesn't really give results that seem realistic. Well, I wanted to share my preferred method of figuring out how much things cost in the Star Wars universe to see what everyone else thinks.

I'd personally like to see more consistency with prices of goods just for the sake of continuity. Not that its a big deal in the grand scheme but it would help ground things more for RP sake.

ANYWAY...

I like to use the value of the 1970 US dollar as the basis for what a credit spends like in the universe. Why? Well, because that is the time period in which the original movie was made and when you start putting canon prices into the context of what things cost in the 70s it makes a bit more sense. For example, Han Solo owes Jabba 12,000 credits at the start of a New Hope - now this is not a small chunk of change even by today's standards but even then it seems like a small amount to put a price on Han's head so large that he "won't be able to go near a civilized system".

For twelve large? idk about you but even to make a point that seems a bit much. Hell, seventeen grand to risk life imprisonment or death by the Empire to smuggle Obi-want and Luke seems light.

But then you take into account inflation from 1970s US dollars to todays...things suddenly jump a lot more. All the sudden Han owes Jabba $77,661.91 - which seems a lot more of a problem. And that promised Obiwan price? Well Han would be scoring over $110 thousand for that risky trip.

It honestly explains why some prices in expanded materials (like the RPGs for example) seem low sometimes.

I know the whole "its alien/fantasy currency, who cares" angle will come up - but I just like to put some organization into the chaos (hehehehe).

Does anyone else think about fake space currency in their free time?

 

[Jake Fuga]

[member="Marvik Dathu"]

Currency that I use as one of the Merchants/Transport Companies in the world of Chaos is a little bend and twist in the way of RPing transactions. The show "The Mandalorian" Really cemented how I use it as well.

-- The Chaos Currency System is mostly based on a Barter/Trade of Goods, Ancient Republic Dataries carry its weight as much as the US Dollar. Nothing to back it but most accept it at face value. Your standardization would be related to the Ancient Republic Dataries / Galactic Empire Credit and most would just accept it because most would use it.

-- As a Merchant or Company owner who works with superpowers or factions, I mostly accept Regional Credits or Trade something of equal value in those lawless areas. The Commerce RPers kind of really set their own limits of what each currency is worth to them. For me I have a set rule that I change depending on the planets and Hyperlanes a certain faction controls. Some countries only accept their currency for Tariff Tax or Docking Fees, thus they are more useful to certain Merchants. My ranking would be as follows.

1) Silver Credit (Silver Jedi Currency) - My Company used the Jaster Trade Spine Exclusively so that currency is a high priced item.
2) Confederate Credit (CIS Curency) - They control three of the most influential trade lanes to the Galactic South, Thus they are thee strongest currency to a merchant.
3) Imperial Credit (Sith Empire Currency) - A strong currency that holds its value and great for investing with other companies as its backed by the Intergalactic Banking Clan.
4) Ancient Republic Dataries (Standard Currency) - Accepted at face value cuz anyone will take it, but a watered down currency that nations rarely accept.
5) Barter (ORC and Black Suns Currency) - They value monetary gains, but trade of material equal to the goods being sold to them. Also the most flexable type as the goods are accepted based on the eye of the beholder.

-- So the currency that people RP is based on what they consider valuable. I like to play merchants that accept regional credits over standard credits because its more fun that way. I wont take Hapan Coinage because it has no value to me, unless its backed by the Silver Credit then I can exchange it 1 for 1 and pay taxes and fees for that country. Little things like that are more fun to me as a writer.

-- I am just saying that the Standard Credit is so ancient and unused that its better to leave it to each individuals understanding of the Standardized Credit. 1,000,000 Credits might be a lot to someone, but for some companies that could buy you a Cruiser or Frigate. So with so many separation of nations, currency is a strange thing.

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

I have had this discussion many times over many different RP sites and groups. Even came up during an Age of Rebellion campaign I was part of. Given the prices of newer ships in canon are still only in the tens of thousands many times, I would see the credit as worth at least 3 to 5 times the US dollar. But given that there is no economy here the guesses are pointless.

 

[Boggo Flib]

Market Over saturation and inflation = Chaos

 

[Darth Vulcanus]

More people need to pay in Calamari flan

 

[Cyrus Tregessar]

[member="Marvik Dathu"]

You can't convince that's not food. Which then begs the question: Are Mon Calamari the ones eating it or...

 

[Darth Vulcanus]

[member="Cyrus Tregessar"]

Which begs even deeper questions...could they be eating their own currency?

Or maybe its like Mon Calamari catnip and they trade it like Warhammer Skaven trade warpstone

 

[Cyrus Tregessar]