Whose face is on the Gil coin?

I was asked this question earlier today and I realized I've just never thought about it until now.

Have I missed a tidbit on this most basic of information somewhere?

The Gil coin is a standard currency throughout all of Eorzea, so I figure it must be something all of the city-states have had in common for a long time. So far, I can't think of anything other than the Twelve, so let's start there. The first suspect is, of course, Nald, the aspect of The Traders that oversees the living's financial fortune. However, the face is to my eyes quite feminine. The 1.0 icon for Gil also shows a reverse side that I can barely make out, but it seems to be a tree. Perhaps then the face is Nophica, goddess of abundance and prosperity? The figure also seems to be wearing a crown that is unlike the one I've seen Nophica wearing in SE's previous artwork - it does, however, look akin to that of the Sultana... It'd be strange for one city-state to make all of the realm's currency in their own ruler's image even when the nations commonly found themselves against one another... but if one city were to do so, it would be Ul'dah...

Any ideas?


EDIT: Mystery solved! See below (Thanks, Community Teams!)

Perhaps it's one of the saints/guardians? They're universal enough in Ezorea that everyone uses the same set on their guildleve plates so they should be universal enough for a common currency.

Knowing SE, it's probably nothing specific but just a generic face to make it seem realistic - although having said that, in FFXI it was stated that it was Duke Kam'lanaut's face on the 'heads' side of Vana'dielian gil, so maybe the Eorzean version also has someone from Eorzean history after all.

Although it's unclear exactly when the Eorzean citystates moved over to a single common currency, given Ul'dah's status as centre of trade and also the apparent capital of finance in Eorzea, I wouldn't be surprised if it would actually be a past Sultan or Sultana who may have played a part in setting up said single currency. Bu I'm grasping at straws here.

ummmmm those garlean soldiers u killed dropped gils too, so there's quite a possibility that gil is a world wide currency from ancient time (do i have to mention NYMIANs aka Tonberries also drop gils too?)

Well, here's an idea: it's possible there isn't a single version of the gil and each city-state could mint their own version, similar to the reverse side of the Euro where the individual countries have freedom of design.

There is some evidence to support this where both obverse and reverse sides are variable, though admittedly it also comes from evidence for limited run commemorative coins (see my post #7 below for the text that goes with this image!!! I know many want to think these are GC seals just looking at the image, but I reason that it's still more likely they are gil):

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to.../3d/1179_2.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Commemorative Coin item description

A one-gil coin minted by the three Grand Companies of Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, and Ul'dah to commemorate the reforming of the Eorzean Alliance. Guaranteed never to depreciate in value!

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This also seems to imply that as far as game-mechanics-simplification goes, we are only shown a grand total of gil with a generic coin symbol, purposefully obfuscated. The quoted description leads me to believe there would be several different denominations of coin according to the lore, as would make sense for any real physical monetary system.

I would hedge my bets then that each city-state mints their own normal currency in addition to the commemorative coins and is free to put whatever historic figures/dieties appropriate to themselves on each denomination, with an agreement between the cities to honor each others' currency for ease of trade.

It's also clear that paper money is used in some capacity as the company seals. Might there actually be some large denominations of gil that are paper rather than coin?

Those 'coins' are not actually gil though - those are actually Grand Company Seals (hence why each one is uniquely shaped, they each bare the face of each Company leader, and they also bear each Company's motto, such as the Gridania one clearly has written on it 'Woods Will be Done'.). There was a piece of artwork though that showed gold and silver coins on a table, amongst other things, but I can't find the pic at the moment sadly. In any event, we only have the coin icon from the game's interface to actually go on showing what gil actually looks like in Eorzea, as Moose already mentioned.

Do you have a source that explicitly says they're seals and not gil? The mottos and leaders images alone I don't personally think are enough to cement them as seals. The GCs have become so intertwined with the cities now that their mottos are practically the motto of the city-state itself. I can't seem to find the original page of where that pic came from, so I don't know offhand what text accompanied it. (Nvm, found it, see below) The text for commemorative coin, while separate (but perhaps related, only speculation there), does specifically say it's a gil piece and that the GCs were the ones to mint it, so they do have the administrative power to do so.

Would be awesome though if you (or someone else) could find that other image you mention though, and any paired text would be a bonus.

Found the text for my image of the GC themed coins:

http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...9fb72099b16dbf

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lodestone

Never blinking and all-seeing, The Mythril Eye misses naught that transpires within the lustrous domain of coin. In today's edition, senior editor Havak Alvak takes a close look at Foundation Day, the celebration taking place across the sultanate that commemorates the revival of the Grand Companies of Eorzea.

The Founding of a Tradition

Ever since the Ministry of Palatial Affairs revealed the rekindling of the Immortal Flames, the latter has not spared a single spherule of sweat to promote its presence to the public. Stepping up their efforts, the Immortal Flames now host Foundation Day, a celebration commemorating the creation of the Grand Companies of Eorzea more than a millennium past.

According to our sources, the concept was conceived at a congregation of committee members for the Eorzean Alliance,* who recommended that the revelry be simultaneously sponsored by all three city-states. Contrived to curb the consternation of civilians while saturating soldiers with spirit and steadfastness, insiders indicate that the event is also intended to regulate the rivalry raging between the Grand Companies to attract adventurers to their ranks.

Regulated roistering aside, the return of the Immortal Flames alone has been a blessing for the burg. Not only has it aided the amelioration of anxiety over the Garlean threat; it also affords adventurers—rapidly rising as the realm's richest spenders—a steady supply of salary. The prevailing perspective at present is one of expedited economic expansion. Even as I put pen to paper, a curious case of collaboration is being brokered between market and monarchy for the minting of memorial money and the subsidization of salutes by firearms.

The current commercial climate is plainly propitious to profit. Whether you prefer to participate in a procession or peddle products to the public, we at The Mythril Eye enthusiastically encourage participation in the pomp and pageantry as a means of monitoring market movement.

Havak Alvak


[The Eorzean Alliance]

A military alliance established in the 1561st year of the Sixth Astral Era in the wake of Ala Mhigo's fall to the Garlean Empire. Although initially formed of the four remaining sovereign city-states of Eorzea, the Ishgardians soon withdrew from the treaty, taking with them a bulk of the alliance's military might. In part due to this, no joint standing army ever eventuated from the coalition, which has had to rely upon the privately run Adventurers' Guild for the handling of such security issues as the beast tribe threat.

With the reemergence of the Grand Companies, the demand for adventurers soars to a new high as each organization moves to entice capable soldiers to join its ranks.

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The bit I bolded sounds like it has more to do with general economy (gil) than anything GC specific, and that's where the image appears. Still far from conclusive though, I admit. I'd just personally lean to them more likely being gil than seals.

I'll note I'm not trying to say ALL gil would carry those 3 designs since they'd clearly be special runs, but that the symbol we see in game next to the gil we own is probably a generic one.

Those coins were KIs in 1.0 that you got for getting max rank in GC you traded them to a moblin for 20k seals

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...emorative-Coin <---- Forum link from 1.0 about this coins

http://i61.tinypic.com/2qv4478.jpg

Its Yoshi p!

Can you zoom in with enough detail to see the face of the "gil" we have to pick up, for those low-level quests in Ul'dah? Genevieve (?) in the Coliseum, and the little collecting trip for Hamon Holyfist? I never thought about it...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Myranda

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to.../3d/1179_2.jpg

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Why Ul'dah coin is not Sutana face instead of that big black Highlander? (assume)

IMHO, That not gil coin, its Company Seals something, if its Company Seals coin, its make sense Ul'dah coin have Black Highlander face (sorry again, forget name : P) since he is head of Ul'dah company.

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Originally Posted by Altimis

Why Ul'dah coin is not Sutana face instead of that big black Highlander? (assume)

IMHO, That not gil coin, its Company Seals something, if its Company Seals coin, its make sense Ul'dah coin have Black Highlander face (sorry again, forget name : P) since he is head of Ul'dah company.

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Those people are the leaders of the GC, not the city-state. Although, I guess you could say The Admiral runs Limsa, and the Seedseer runs Grid...Raubahn is in charge of the Flames.

To assume gil has a standardised form is naive.
Currency has multiple values to assist in exchange of fluctuating price of different product.
10p coin, 50p coin, £1 coin.
However, currency does not typically share the same name, value and shape if it is produced from different economic backgrounds.

Our coffers show gil. Not Limsa-gil, Ul-gil or Grid-gil.
I'd say it's a safe bet to assume the images above are seals.

We need to acknowledge that Final Fantasy as a franchise and fantasy RPG games in general have glaring issues with money.
-You killed a cow-
Obtained 10g!

To say 'something drops gil, that means their heritage is valid source' is nonsense.
If Garleans drop gil, we can't confirm they use gil because we can't trade anywhere with them.

The only way to confirm is through utilising this currency in an established trading facility or shop!

A more pressing question on my mind rather than 'Who is on the gil' is; which governing body do all city-states and alliances bow down to and reproduce their currency!
You can't ascertain who might be on the gil without knowing which economy it originated from!

Or they just came together and said:
"Yo let's put a God on the coin and shake hands"

My money is on Ul'Dah produces the coin, but the city-state leaders of old came together and agreed upon the value.

As for who is on the coin?
Female Hyur! :s

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UlricCraft

A more pressing question on my mind rather than 'Who is on the gil' is; which governing body do all city-states and alliances bow down to and reproduce their currency!
You can't ascertain who might be on the gil without knowing which economy it originated from!

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This was my point of having mentioned Euros in earlier posts. Why must there be a single mint, produced only by one country? The countries of the Euro Zone have all agreed to share the same currency, but each country still mints their own version of the coin (well, the obverse side is standardized, but they have freedom to customize the design of the reverse side). It's completely plausible for all 3 Eorzean city states to have their own mints while having those coins honored as valid currency in the other cities as part of a single gil standard.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Myranda

(well, the obverse side is standardized, but they have freedom to customize the design of the reverse side). It's completely plausible for all 3 Eorzean city states to have their own mints while having those coins honored as valid currency in the other cities as part of a single gil standard.

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Oh I agree! That's totally plausible!
I however wouldn't bet on that being the case.

My reasoning is that our symbol as an adventurer, regardless of starting city-state or grand company, the icon remains the same.
There's no leading evidence to say that they're individual, but there's no real evidence saying otherwise...
Disappointing.

Interesting side note nonetheless!

My gut feeling is that we're not going to get any concise information on this subject until SE release a 'bank' of sorts into the game. And hell, with enough people complaining about inventory space, I wouldn't imagine we're going to have to wait long!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Altimis

Why Ul'dah coin is not Sutana face instead of that big black Highlander? (assume)

IMHO, That not gil coin, its Company Seals something, if its Company Seals coin, its make sense Ul'dah coin have Black Highlander face (sorry again, forget name : P) since he is head of Ul'dah company.

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IMO, he looks mo' white than black to me.
It's his hair. It's too much like white-folk's hair (brown and thin).
He does live in the desert... So...
Just 'cuz he got a tan, don't make him black, bro! :p

Side note...
His name is Raubahn.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silverwell

IMO, he looks mo' white than black to me.
It's his hair. It's too much like white-folk's hair (brown and thin).
He does live in the desert... So...
Just 'cuz he got a tan, don't make him black, bro! :p

Side note...
His name is Raubahn.

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LOL! No offend!!! No racist concern/issue ^^ I like black peoples too, they are kind and cool :)

Those coins are not seals. Seals are paper. If you played 1.0 and got a Writ of Passage from the CE, that's the same thing as GC seals. Look at the seal icon and look at the writ. Same design.

Seals are made of paper, gil is made of metal. Those coins are the commemorative coin that you got in 1.0 when it was shutting down. It was worth like...40k seals or something. It was given to us by SE so we could get max rank in the GC before 1.0 went down.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silverwell

...His name is Raubahn...

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The full name given, Raubahn Aldynn, is a pretty transparently-lampshaded shift from Arabic FWIW. Raubahn Aldynn... Raubahn al-Din. Just as one of the most famous warriors of all time was Salah al-Din (Saladin), the nemesis of Crusaders.

Interesting etymology of Raubahn's name, although it's generally accepted his name in FFXIV is actually a reference to the Captain of the Immortal Lions of the same name in the Empire of Aht Urhgan in FFXI. But it's entirely possible the name originally came from that source as you stated Wadoka. That's really interesting. Thanks for that bit of info! :D

mine

/thread

Well... the gil you have to pick up for Genevieve always falls tails-up, if there is a face on the coins.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...47323470_n.jpg

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Originally Posted by Wadoka

Well... the gil you have to pick up for Genevieve always falls tails-up

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And that's a different tails sign than the old gil icon, which appears to be a tree

http://ffxiv.mozk-tabetai.com/icon/0/icon00232.png

And once you pick that gil up, the key item in the inventory turns into the old guild mark icon

http://ffxiv.mozk-tabetai.com/icon/6/icon60745.png

I don't want to think this is just laziness and opportunity for the sake of simplicity, but it's starting to look like laziness and opportunity they use what ever's convenient for the sake of simplicity, lol. (Edited for accuracy :p)

Here's hoping that the original designers of the icons and visible items had something in mind that's just not being conveyed.

EDIT:
Hey wait - the old Guild Mark looks like the inspiration for the design of the commemorative coin in the image of Raubahn...

Maybe there is a method to the madness in here, somewhere.

The German Lore Forum got a answer to this.

Here it is with a little translate from me.
A offical English one maybe comes later.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EU_Community_Team

Ihr habt sie jeden Tag in der Hand, aber habt ihr euch auch schon mal gefragt, wer eigentlich das Gesicht auf den Gil-Münzen ist?
Es ist das Profil der Schicksalsgöttin Nymeia – ein Symbol für Glück!

Die Währung „Gil“ wurde erst vor circa 100 Jahren in Eorzea eingeführt, somit gibt es sie noch nicht sehr lange. Zu dieser Zeit war die Wirtschaft der Stadtstaaten auf einem Höhepunkt während einer Phase der Konflikte, die „Herbstkriege“ genannt wurde. Die sechs großen Stadtstaaten taten sich zusammen, um eine gemeinsame Währung zu gründen und den Handel zu vereinen.

Sie entschieden sich für den „Gil“ – die Währung im antiken allagischen Reich, das sich über ganz Eorzea erstreckt hatte. Um zusätzliche Diskussionen zu vermeiden, wählten sie als Motiv kein Symbol aus einer der Kulturen sondern etwas, das allen Bewohner Eorzeas gleichermaßen vertraut ist: Die Zwölf.

Aber es gibt verschiedene Varianten der Gil-Münzen und nicht auf allen ist einer der Zwölf zu sehen.

Zum Beispiel gibt es eine Gedenkmünze des „Gründungstages“, an dem die Staatlichen Gesellschaften von Eorzea wieder ins Leben gerufen wurden. Jeder der Stadtstaaten prägte hier das Antlitz des Anführers der jeweiligen Gesellschaft auf die 1-Gil-Münzen. So gibt es zwar nur „das“ Gil-Symbol im Spiel, aber eigentlich mehr als eine Version der Münzen.

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The Face is Nymeia - for Luck.
Gil exist for only ~100 years - because there was a need for one currency instead of several (or so).

The face is mostly - but not on all - The Twelve.
The Gil with Raubahn is like a "collectors Edtion".

Like i said, just a little translate because i´m lazy. :p

It also mentions Gil being old Allag currency, and that there are multiple denominations. It says that it was first minted by the six great city states during the Autumn Wars, though since one of them, Ala Mihgo was the aggressor in that conflict, I assume it means after, probably as part of the treaty.

Thanks for the heads-up, Pat! I wish I remembered to check the other lore forums for posts more often ><

DISCLAIMER: This isn't entirely a literal translation, more of a ... localization?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EU_Community_Team

Ihr habt sie jeden Tag in der Hand, aber habt ihr euch auch schon mal gefragt, wer eigentlich das Gesicht auf den Gil-Münzen ist? Es ist das Profil der Schicksalsgöttin Nymeia – ein Symbol für Glück!

You have it in your hand every day, but did you ever wonder whose face is on the Gil coin? It is the image of Nymeia, Goddess of Fate - the symbol for luck!

Die Währung „Gil“ wurde erst vor circa 100 Jahren in Eorzea eingeführt, somit gibt es sie noch nicht sehr lange. Zu dieser Zeit war die Wirtschaft der Stadtstaaten auf einem Höhepunkt während einer Phase der Konflikte, die „Herbstkriege“ genannt wurde. Die sechs großen Stadtstaaten taten sich zusammen, um eine gemeinsame Währung zu gründen und den Handel zu vereinen.

Gil was introduced as a currency only about 100 years ago, so it hasn't been in use for very long. At the time of its introduction, the economies of the city-states were surging due to the Autumn War, so the six great city-states banded together to establish a common currency and unite their trade.

Sie entschieden sich für den „Gil“ – die Währung im antiken allagischen Reich, das sich über ganz Eorzea erstreckt hatte. Um zusätzliche Diskussionen zu vermeiden, wählten sie als Motiv kein Symbol aus einer der Kulturen sondern etwas, das allen Bewohner Eorzeas gleichermaßen vertraut ist: Die Zwölf.

They opted for the "Gil," - the currency of the ancient Allagan Empire, which once spanned all of Eorzea. To avoid any additional discussion, they chose for its symbol one of the things that all of their cultures had in common: The Twelve.

Aber es gibt verschiedene Varianten der Gil-Münzen und nicht auf allen ist einer der Zwölf zu sehen.

However, there are different variations of the Gil coin, and not all feature one of the Twelve.

Zum Beispiel gibt es eine Gedenkmünze des „Gründungstages“, an dem die Staatlichen Gesellschaften von Eorzea wieder ins Leben gerufen wurden. Jeder der Stadtstaaten prägte hier das Antlitz des Anführers der jeweiligen Gesellschaft auf die 1-Gil-Münzen. So gibt es zwar nur „das“ Gil-Symbol im Spiel, aber eigentlich mehr als eine Version der Münzen.

For example, on Foundation Day, the day the Eorzean Alliance was revived, commemorative coins were minted that featured the leaders of each individual city-state's Grand Comany. So, in the game, there may only be the Gil symbol, but variations of the coins can and do exist.

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It's almost like someone over there read our thread. Keep ringing bells of the unknown, guys and gals, we're being watched...

Thanks, Community Teams!

EDIT: And cheers for the extra tidbits, Corvinoobus! (I love how deep in thought your avatar looks... Pensive Pudding. "Hmm. Is that edible? It looks edible. I'm gonna eat it.")

It seems our hardworking French and German colleagues beat us to the punch this time! Here’s the official English with a few extra tidbits to make it up to y'all:

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The currency now commonly referred to as “gil” was officially adopted by the city-states of Eorzea roughly one-hundred years ago, as a means to strengthen trade relations in the wake of the Autumn War.

Prior to this, each city-state minted and regulated its own currency, which led to unpredictable exchange rates and prompted many traders to use ancient Allagan pieces in lieu of other coinage. Recognizing the wisdom of the practice (and desiring greater control over the money supply), the leaders of Eorzea announced the creation of new gil, and further decreed that its value would be standardized across all nations. Moreover, to help encourage adoption, it was designed in the image of its precursors.

Initially, as an expression of solidarity, these coins were to be engraved with images of the Twelve, rather than those of individuals beloved of a single nation. As time passed and the gil rose to prominence, however, the policy was relaxed, and the coin came to bear an ever increasing variety of motifs. Those minted to commemorate the reformation of the Eorzean Alliance are a notable example from recent years.

But to finally answer the question which prompted this discussion: the face on the gil coin icon in the UI is that of Nymeia, the Spinner. For simplicity’s sake, we’ve elected to represent all gil with this graphic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

(I love how deep in thought your avatar looks... Pensive Pudding. "Hmm. Is that edible? It looks edible. I'm gonna eat it.")

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He's so cute, I just want to squish him all up into a treasure coffer and throw him into the Wanderer's Palace!

Is there only the "one gil" coin or are there other denominations? Are there 5 gil, 10 gil, 25 gil, 50 gil coins? Imagine buying an airship for 1mil gil and dragging out 1mil coins.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lucke

Is there only the "one gil" coin or are there other denominations?

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I'd imagine there's no choice. There has to be. If for nothing else, to negate the irony and comedy.

"I know it's a meager sum... but it's all I have." <struggles to lift a potato sack full of coins with a big, inverted G on it>

I'd have needed to buy my drake mount with an IOU so I could have the beast pull the cart holding its fee. And we all know I didn't buy my drake with an IOU. I'd never have paid. What's he going to do, come after me? I have a drake.

That's actually what I figured we could fall back on if we never got a reply (but we did! ♥). As far as we could tell, they just threw in whatever visual / icon they could make work at the time so that they could be reused for other things as well. Said resources look pretty nondescript so they can fit for different denominations and mints. Hell, they could play with the palette and they'll work for Golden Saucer (Platinum Mirage) tokens as well, if they're strapped for time.

FFX had a pretty large variation of currency, all in coins.

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...49/Ugcoins.jpg

Beats having your roughspun adventuring garments erode through all your banknotes!

So...um... of what material are the gil coins made?

And (looks shifty-eyed here)... is there a mint, with unenthusiastic, poorly-compensated guardians?

Well, from what I'm aware gil is made from gold, or rather, using the apparent etymology of the word 'gil' (which apparently comes from the word 'gild', which means to coat another metal in a thin layer of gold), they're made from a base metal that has been coated in gold. Electroplating is a modern way of 'gilding' incidentally.

And for that matter, I can't remember where I saw it, but I'm pretty sure there is an example of counterfeiting gil within FFXIV (I know counterfeit gil was a quest item in FFXI as well), so it's clearly easy to make fake gil lore-wise, which only makes the gilding name reference ring true even more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

And for that matter, I can't remember where I saw it, but I'm pretty sure there is an example of counterfeiting gil within FFXIV (I know counterfeit gil was a quest item in FFXI as well), so it's clearly easy to make fake gil lore-wise, which only makes the gilding name reference ring true even more.

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Are you thinking of the v1 Pugilist quests and the playing chips of the Platinum Mirage, or something else?

http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/8...vendusparl.png

Maybe gil are like euro.
One side is the standard side, in every city-state the same.
And on the other side a city-state specific motive.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Corvinoobus

It seems our hardworking French and German colleagues beat us to the punch this time! Here’s the official English with a few extra tidbits to make it up to y'all:

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The currency now commonly referred to as “gil” was officially adopted by the city-states of Eorzea roughly one-hundred years ago, as a means to strengthen trade relations in the wake of the Autumn War.

Prior to this, each city-state minted and regulated its own currency, which led to unpredictable exchange rates and prompted many traders to use ancient Allagan pieces in lieu of other coinage. Recognizing the wisdom of the practice (and desiring greater control over the money supply), the leaders of Eorzea announced the creation of new gil, and further decreed that its value would be standardized across all nations. Moreover, to help encourage adoption, it was designed in the image of its precursors.

Initially, as an expression of solidarity, these coins were to be engraved with images of the Twelve, rather than those of individuals beloved of a single nation. As time passed and the gil rose to prominence, however, the policy was relaxed, and the coin came to bear an ever increasing variety of motifs. Those minted to commemorate the reformation of the Eorzean Alliance are a notable example from recent years.

But to finally answer the question which prompted this discussion: the face on the gil coin icon in the UI is that of Nymeia, the Spinner. For simplicity’s sake, we’ve elected to represent all gil with this graphic.

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Thanks Corvinoobus for answering that million gil question! :)

Qiqirn seem to wear "coins" on their earrings - have you ever looked? It would be fitting for a race that seem to love money, gems and all things of value - things which they look to carry on their persons at all times.

Have you ever zoomed in on these coins? They look to have a face on them of an eagle wearing a crown. I have taken a screenshot which I'll try and upload from my PS4 - but do we have an origin for Qiqirn (are they from the East?) and perhaps where this currency, if it is, comes from?