Coin Description Generator (Random Table)
Not all “Gold Pieces” are alike. They vary by nation or kingdom or perhaps locality. In fact, U.S. Continental currency was issued by banks at one point. They will also vary over time as kings and governments change.
Of course, glossing over all of this is fine, but if/when you want this extra level of detail here are a couple of charts to help you out. Just roll for each column to determine either the coin of the realm or the coins of a treasure pile:
| d12 | Shape | Hole in Center? | Head & Tail (Roll 2x) | Edge Decoration | Unusual Feature? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Circle | No | King | None | None |
| 2 | Circle | No | Queen | None | None |
| 3 | Circle | No | Key Duke | None | None |
| 4 | Circle | No | Major God of primary religion | None | None |
| 5 | Hexagon | No | Coat of Arms | Simple Grooves | None |
| 6 | Hexagon | No | Map of Kingdom | Simple Grooves | None |
| 7 | Octagon | No | Dragon or other Beast | Simple Grooves | None |
| 8 | Octagon | No | Eagle or other bird | Simple Grooves | Design is highlighted with 2nd metal of another color. |
| 9 | Square | No | Lion or other fierce animal | Simple Grooves | Much thicker but smaller than other coins of the same type. |
| 10 | Square | Triangle | Flower/Leaf/Plant | Simple Grooves | Authentic, but made of cheaper metal and plated with named metal |
| 11 | Pentagon | Square | Castle or key building | Slogan | Fake (50/50 if it is obvious) |
| 12 | Pentagon | Circle | Crossed swords or other weapon(s) | Floral pattern | Roll twice, ignoring “none” or duplicates. |
As mentioned above, consider the age of the coins. If it is a long lost pile of treasure with a King on its head, it will be the King from ages ago. To clarify the “Edge Decoration” column: this is the edge of the coin which often is grooved to prevent nicking.
What else could/should be added to the chart above? (New options or new columns.) The above is a first pass, and I’d like to revise it and add to it before making it semi-final.
For the “roll twice” result on the unusual features column you can replace “ignore none” with “roll d4+7”.
I might also treat duplicates as something special:
2X Highlighted = Fully bimetallic[1] or inset gem.
2X Thicker = “Coin” is a small rod rather than a disk.
2X Plated = Alloy coin or government backed non-precious coin.
2X Fake = Forgery with real value, (e.g. made with denatured gold).
[1] Such as the Canadian $2 coin.