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Weights & Measures
Research on Weights & Measures

The common units of money & weight in Arabia is the Dirham.

Research on the net gives the weight of a Dirham as: {Tcenter::{R:1 Dirham = 3.125g = 0.003125 Kg = 0.006875 lb = 0.11 oz (approx ¹/9th oz):R}:T}

A Ratl is equal to 144 Dirham weight, {Tcenter::{R:1 Ratl = 144 Dirham = 450g = 0.45Kg = 0.99lb = 15.84 oz:R}:T}

For the purposes of game terms, we can say 1 Ratl = 1lb, simplifying all our conversions. Therefore, {Tcenter::{R:1 Dirham weight = 1/144th Ratl = 0.1111111oz = exactly ¹/9th oz:R}:T}

Traditionally a Dirham weight was the weight of the Silver Dirham coin, ie ¹/9th oz. Given that, according to the SRD, 50 sp weighs 1lb, then 1 Ratl weight of silver coins (1lb) should be worth 50sp, we know 1 Silver Dirham weighs 1 Dirham, so 144 Dirham coins weighs 1 Ratl, therefore: {Tcenter::{R:144 Silver Dirham = 1 Ratl weight = 50 SRD sp:R}:T}

{Tcenter::{R:1 Silver Dirham = 50/144 SRD sp = 0.34722 SRD sp:R}:T}

If we adopt an Arabian SRD standard of

{Tcenter::{R:1 Silver Dirham = 0.33333 SRD sp (one third):R}:T}

{Tcenter::{R:1 Dirham Weight = ¹/9th oz:R}:T}

We find that a single 1 Dirham silver piece (worth ¹/3 SRD sp) does not weight exactly 1 Dirham weight.

{Tcenter::{R:1 Dirham silver piece weighs ¹/150 lb = 8/75 oz = 0.10666 oz, slightly less than the Dirham weight (72/75 = 0.96 Dirham weight):R}:T}

Of course the tendancy of some merchants and bazaar traders would be to use the lighter Dirham coin as a Dirham weight, giving short measure to the customer.

Such are the innaccuracies of life, so buyer beware, not all Dirham are truly worth one Dirham, and not all silver Dirham weigh one Dirham, check the scales, as mistakes cannot be rectified once you leave the bazaar.

Given the fluctuations that haggling introduces into the game, then we can effectively ignore the trivial variation between these inconsistencies,

{Tcenter::{R:1 Silver Dirham = ¹/3 SRD sp Value:R}:T} {Tcenter::{R:and 1 Silver Dirham Weight = ¹/3 SRD sp Weight = 1 Dirham Weight:R}:T}

This material is NOT Open Game Content. These research notes are for information purposes only.
©2003 Ian F. Jukes / Arabian Adventure.org / realgamer.org / sevarian.com


Conversion Tables Coins

Table: Arabian Coins Values {T:90%: {R:Coins gpspcp:R} {R:Habba ¹/6000 ¹/600 ¹/60:R} {R:Fal (iron) ¹/3000 ¹/300 ¹/30 :R} {R:Kirat ¹/600 ¹/60 ¹/6 :R} {R:Danaq (copper) ¹/300 ¹/30 ¹/3 :R} {R:Dirham (Silver) ¹/30 ¹/3 3+¹/3 :R} {R:Dinar (Gold) ¹/3 3+¹/3 33+¹/3 :R} :T}
Table: Arabian Coins
Standard Exchange Values {T:95%: {R: SRD Value Fal Danaq Dirham Dinar :R} {R:Iron Fal ¹/30 SRD cp 1 ¹/10 ¹/100 ¹/1,000 :R} {R:Copper Danaq ¹/3 SRD cp 10 1 ¹/10 ¹/100 :R} {R:Silver Dirham ¹/3 SRD sp 100 10 1 ¹/10 :R} {R:Gold Dinar ¹/3 SRD gp 1,000 100 10 1 :R} :T}

Table: SRD Coins
Standard Exchange Values {T:100%: {R: Iron Fals Copper Danaq Silver Dirham Gold Dinar :R} {R:Copper Piece (cp) 30 3 ¹/3 ¹/30 :R} {R:Silver Piece (sp) 300 30 3 ¹/3 :R} {R:Gold Piece (gp) 3,000 300 30 3 :R} {R:Platinum Piece (pp) 30,000 3,000 300 30 :R} :T}

These tables are Open Game Content.
©2003 Ian F. Jukes / Arabian Adventure.org / realgamer.org / sevarian.com