Coins and Currency

The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros all have a uniform coinage system based on the Gold Dragon coin. The only exception to this is the different nations scattered across the Narrow Sea in Essos who have their own local currencies.

The Gold Dragon coin has two smaller denominations, the Silver Stag and Copper Penny coins.

The Master of Coin is a Royal Official within the government of the Seven Kingdoms and is also a member of the monarch’s small council. The Master of Coin oversees the royal treasury and advises on financial matters. Petyr Baelish, Tyrion Lannister and Mace Tyrell have all held this role throughout the series.

Trivia

• If you were to buy a loaf of bread from the King's Landing district of Flea Bottom, it would set you back three copper pennies.
• The coin given to Ayra Stark by assassin Jaqen H'ghar is not normal currency. It is a special token that the Faceless Men give to their allies or those they feel indebted to. Ayra could present this coin to any man from Braavos and they would know that she was a friend of the Faceless Men.
• Each of the Nine Free Cities has its own bank for depositing and lending money. The largest of these is the Iron Bank of Braavos.
• In Ironborn culture, taking jewellery and items of value from someone is called paying “the Iron price” and paying for items is known as paying “the gold price”.
• There are over 300 noble houses in Westeros and only nine “Great Houses”.
• House Lannister have a famous phrase "A Lannister always pays his debts".
• House Payne’s banner is gold coins in the checks of a checkered purple and white field.
• The coins of Braavos are square rather than the traditional round coin and are made of simple iron.

Production

• The first season of Game of Thrones cost between £38 million and £45 million, this averages at roughly £4 million per episode. Since then the cost has only grown with a bill of more than £76 million for season 6.
• The furs worn by many of the characters in Game of Thrones aren’t actually fur, they are made out of IKEA rugs! In an excellent money saving move by the costume department, the rugs were cut, shaved, waxed and frosted to look authentic.
• 24 different wigs are used for the actresses. These are made of human hair and can be up to two feet in length. Each wig can cost up to £5,000 and are washed and styled like real hair.
• Northern Ireland is one of the filming locations in Game of Thrones, tourists visiting the filming sites has added over £75 million to the local economy.
• Many of the scenes set in and around the Stark ancestral home of “Winterfell” are filmed in the County Atrim village of MONEYglass.
• In another thrifty move for the show, Costume Designer Michele Clapton sourced many of the bones used to create bone armour worn by the Wildlings from online auction sites. These were then moulded and created into armour with string and latex by members of the costume department.

Just like the inhabitants of Westeros, you can never be sure when "Winter is coming." It's wise to be prepared with an emergency savings fund, so why not take a look at our range of savings accounts.