Marks

Marks are the currency used on Pern, They can go as high as a rare 100-mark piece, and as low as a thirty-second mark piece. Marks are produced by the different Crafts which apply an identifying picture or symbol representing their craft. Depending on local political climates, some craft's marks are valued higher than others. The supply of marks is kept constant; new marks are produced to replace old ones.

Value

Marks occur in the denominations 1⁄32, 1⁄16, ⅛, ¼, ½, 1, 2, 5, and 10 marks, with a few 100-mark coins for very large transactions. The denominations are indicated by a stamped or carved number. If the number has a line above it, then it represents a unit fraction (that is, 32 would be 1⁄32), whereas a line below the number indicates an integer. Marks have a very high value, for instance, at a gather in Dragonsinger, bubbly pies were charged at six to a thirty-second piece. And a Master Craftsman might give a mark to an apprentice if he's particularly pleased with said apprentice's work, two marks if he's very impressed.

A real-world exchange rate would be impossible to pin down exactly, but it is generally assumed to be around $20 to the mark at the time of writing.

Tradition

Marks are generally a circle made out of wood, with the value carved, burned, or stamped into them. At Lady Nerilka's and Lord Alessan's wedding, Alessan presented Nerilka with a 'gold wedding mark'.