The Aranthaes Mint is a large, fortified building located in the center of the city. It is heavily guarded by the City Guard, and access to the mint is strictly open to authorized personnel only. The mint produces gold, silver, and copper coins, used as the primary currency in Aranthaes.
The Mint is an imposing stone structure, made entirely of buff stone, with high walls and thick toughened glass windows. As a show of the city’s wealth and to demonstrate it’s high security the Aranthaen city council placed a number of oversized gold coins into the ground in the mint’s courtyard, which have themselves become an attraction to city visitors.
The current Governor of Aranthaes Mint is wealthy merchant and senior city council member Orilia Thorne.
Gold coins are the city’s most valuable currency and are used for large transactions and high-value purchases. They are produced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100. The coins feature Lady Bune‘s image on the front and the emblem of Aranthaes and denomination on the back.
Silver coins are used for more moderate transactions and are produced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20. The coins feature Lady Bune’s image on the front and the emblem of the mint and denomination on the back.
Copper coins are the least valuable and are used for everyday transactions and small purchases. They are produced in denominations of 1, 2, and 5. The coins feature Lady Bune’s image on the front and the denomination on the back.
In addition to producing coins, the mint also produces gold bars that are used for larger transactions and as a store of wealth. The gold bars are produced in various sizes and are stamped with the emblem of Aranthaes to indicate their authenticity. They carry gold piece values of 100, 250, 500, 1000 and 5000. They are stored in the mint’s vaults, which are heavily guarded and accessible only to authorized personnel.
The Aranthaes Mint is a marvel of technology and ingenuity, constantly humming day and night with the sound of machines and metal clanging together.
Inside, the Mint is a labyrinthine network of interconnected workshops and factories, each dedicated to a specific step in the process of refining and minting precious metals.
The first step in the process is the smelting of the raw metals. This is done in a vast furnace, fed by a never-ending stream of carts. The heat from the furnace is intense, and the workers who tend it are protected by thick leather aprons and heavy gloves.
Once the raw metal is melted down, it is poured into molds to create large ingots, which are then taken to the next stage of the process.
Here, the ingots are subjected to a series of mechanical and chemical processes designed to refine the metal and shape it into coins and bars. Large hammers pound the metal into flat sheets, which are then fed through a series of rolling mills to produce thinner and thinner sheets. These sheets are then cut into the shapes of coins and bars, using complex machines that can produce thousands of identical pieces in a single day.
Once the coins and bars have been cut and stamped with the city’s seal, they are loaded onto carts and taken to the storage vaults. These vaults are massive, with walls made of thick stone and iron bars, and are guarded day and night by heavily armed soldiers.
Despite the impressive technology on display at the Mint, it is the skill and experience of the goldsmiths who work there that make the operation truly efficient. These craftsmen are able to identify and separate even the smallest impurities in the metal, ensuring that each coin and bar produced is of the highest possible quality.
The quality is so great that Aranthaen gold is favored across the land, and Aranthaes Mint’s heavily protected transport caravans have become a common sight on all major trade routes.
Overall, the Aranthaes Mint is a testament to the city’s dedication to excellence and efficiency. By producing their own currency, the citizens of Aranthaes are able to control their own economy and ensure that their wealth remains within the city’s borders.