Difference between revisions of "Guffingfordian Economy"

Revision as of 10:51, 14 December 2005

Economy

When you say Guffingford's economy, you say Tsarist Russia, except for the slavery and serfs working the land. Extensive railroad networks have been laid with capital from foreign corporations because the Guffingfordian economy - 82% mining industry, metal working, argiculture and other raw material processing and plastic related industries - is incapable of raising funds for massive projects. Banks are not state owned, but there are too few to get the economy going and to exploit all natural resources. The monetary system is also backwards and old, paper money is only used for the highest denominations (G 500, G 1.000, G 1.500, G 2.000 G 2.500, G 5.000, G 7.500 and G 10.000 whereas ten thousand Ducat Guilder banknotes are only used for government loans in cash. Plastic money in the shape ATM cards, credit and or debit cards or bonus card systems are non-existent. The population of Guffingford still use coins as their first means of payment. A more dark idea lies behind this: large sums of money are a lot easier to track by the STASI, the Guffingfordian secret service. Hyper inflation was a common phenomenon up until the 1950's, because the economy was so ill-organised, major gold findings allowed the State Gold Value to make a free fall dragging the currency value down with it, or if things were good, the prise would soar to the skies. When that happened the government declared a part proportional to the finding (of the State Gold Value) 'non existent' to halt the inflation.

During the Great Depression of 1931, the biggest platinum ore deposits were found near Änglenbach in the history of the pacific which caused a drop in coin value that made 100 grams of platinum worth $70. These extremes have been ruled out by now, but major value changes still occur. This makes the Guffingfordian economy extremely unstable. On itself the economy is imploded, but because of hundreds of foreign syndicates the economy has a small technology sector (IT, graphic design, telecommunication) but the raw materials handling is by far the biggest. Technology itself is rare for the common Guffingfordian where personal computers are only affordable by the very wealthy and televisions can only be bought by joint effort. Internet doesn't exist for the normal citizen.

Only the military has the funds and means to have the most advanced tech available. The normal working class only uses bronze and silver coins, while the gold is only for major purchases. The economy also suffers from international boycotts because of the enduring policies of apartheid and blatant racism. The boycotts haven't significantly damaged the Guffingfordian economy simply because of regular sales of large quantities of non existent gold.

Exchange Rates

I hate this part, since it involves using the grey mass in my head. I'm not very fond of such things, but it has to be done. Here I present to you the exchange rates of the civillian gulden (the non-trade currency of Guffingford) whereas the Ducat Guilder (dukaat gulden) depends on the State Gold Value and the world gold value.

1 gulden is worth symbol: G (citizen currency)

The History of the Guffingfordian Currency

The first coins weren't struck in Guffingford but imported from other nations, mainly Great Britiain. During the first years of the British authority in Guffingford, they paid with anything that was payable to the bearer in England. When the Dutch came from Knootoss, they brought their own money. Eventually, somewhere around 1780 this turned out to be very inefficient and the local government decided it was going to build their own Mint. The Redmound Mint was the first official mint of Guffingford. The Redmound Mintmark is a Maltezer Cross, because it was mainly led by Monks and Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The second mint was built in the northern Hanseatic League City of Port Kramer, since it demanded its own currency for their own operations both in Guffingford and abroad. Since then not much happened, several others opened their doors and now the Hoogenbosch Mint & Currency Provision Company Ltd is a partially state owned enterprise, providing Guffingford with papermoney and coins.

There are several places were coins are struck in Guffingford, here are the most well known listed (most important first):

• The Hoogenbosch Mint & Currency Provision Company Ltd - founded 1878
  

Mintmark H

• The Redmound Mint - founded 1795
  

Mintmark Maltezer Cross

• The Bloupaarl Mint - founded 1902
  

Mintmark B or a Seashell (rare design)

• The Port Kramer Trade Mintage Company - founded 1813
  

Mintmark Windlass

New Coinage

Circulation Currency Struck in 100% Nickel or 100% Copper

Old Coinage

Trade Currency
All .983 Fine

• ÐG 100: 1 Troy ounce gold coin
  
• ÐG 75: ¾ Troy ounce gold coin
  
• ÐG 50: ½ Troy ounce gold coin
  
• ÐG 25: ¼ Troy ounce gold coin
  

ABOLISHED Circulation Currency - adapted into the Trade Currency as of October the 13th, 2005.
All .900 Fine

• ÐG 20: 6.7516 gram gold coin
  
• ÐG 10: 3.95 gram gold coin
  
• ÐG 5: 1.798 gram gold coin
  

There were also bullion coins available, namely the one troy ounce Dukaat Gulden. This hideous thing used to be legal tender until all gold and silver was forcefully taken out of circulation. Most of these were molten into bars or jewelry, but some survived. The primary use of these bullion objects was to settle buisiness deals more easy with other national banking institutes, mainly in Imperial Armies and financing (government) projects. The 1 ounce ÐG has no face value and the actual gold value in American dollars and/or Euros.

Silver Coinage

ABOLISHED Circulation Currency - adapted into the Trade Currency as of October the 13th, 2005.
All .983 Fine

• ÐG 3: ¾ Troy ounce silver coin
  
• ÐG 2.5: ½ Troy ounce silver coin
  
• ÐG 2: ¼ Troy ounce silver coin
  
• ÐG 1: 3.52 gram silver coin
  
• ÐG 0,5: 2.14 gram silver coin
  

Companies

Raw Material Processing

The three largest ore deposits in Guffingford are gold, silver and copper. Uranium is not a very common ore in Guffingford, and if found it is immediately confiscated by the Ministry of Defence. Diamond is also found in abundant amounts, especially in the south of the country, in the freestate Oos Seeland. The major companies exploiting the riches of the Guffingfordian soil are named below. Financing companies are also added. Zinc, tin and salpeter deposits are also found more increasingly. These are all mining companies.

• Henry Wilkinson & Sons Mining and Excavation Company Ltd.
• Abraham, Loque & Van Zand Mining Corporation
• Guffingfordian State Mining and Expedition
• Territorial Mining Enterprises
• Palladium & Uranium Mining Collective Inc.
• Apex Mining Corporation
• Sol Mining, Aktiengesellschaft 1923

Misc. Companies

Large Guffingfordian companies operating mainly in Guffingford. Only a handful of corporations have offices abroad.

• First National Banking & Trust Company Ltd. (financing)
• First City Banking & Trust Company Ltd. (financing)
• Wellis & Rothschild Mutual (financing)
• The Hoogenbosch-Redmound Banking Corporation (financing)
• Ol' Booze Company Ltd. (alcoholic beverages)
• Angstrom Food Company (consumables, disposables)
• Belgian and Dutch Beer Import Company (dedicated beer import)
• Fletcher & Harvey Cosmetic (various cosmetic products; mainly female)
• Van Zuyden Expedition & Logistics (logistical transport and support)
• Aldebaran Shipping Lines (cruise lines and shipping)
• The Guffingford-Macabee Line (cruise lines and shipping)
• Phelps Inc. (lightening)
• Goldbach & Daughters (insurance)
• Insurance Plaza (insurance)
• Henry Wilkinson Insurance Company Ltd. (insurance)
• Oldebarneveldt Accountancy (accountants)
• DeVerran Management Inc. (financial management)
• The Hoogenbosch Light, Traction & Railway Company Ltd (transport and electricity)
• Clarendon & Hocken Mutual and Annuities (various financial services)
• West Pacific Gas, Oil & Electric Company Ltd (energy and oil)
• Global Hoogenbosch Oil & Gas (GHOG - oil and gas)