Mintel

The official currency of the Freethinker Commonwealth is the Mintel (FMT) since independence from the Midlonian Empire in 1885. The Mintel is the only official legal tender within the Commonwealth, and is printed (in decade-long cycles) by the Freethinker Central Reserve, the independent National Bank. The Mintel is a decimalised currency, divided into a hundred subunits known as Coppers.

History

Denominations

In the autonomous province of the Fargon Archipelago, unique designs are printed by local banks which are nonetheless considered legal tender throughout the Commonwealth. These retain the obverse portrait of King Percival IV, but have localised imagery on the reverse.

Designs

Security

The Mintel can be considered one of the most secure currencies around, due to a significant effort by the Freethinker Government to secure the integrity of the currency and the financial networks of the Commonwealth itself. This interest by the Freethinker Government is due to several factors, notably the importance of international trading to the Freethinker economy, the large reach of Freethinker financial services, and perhaps also the emphasis the Freethinker Government itself places on offensive economic warfare when engaged in a conflict.

The Economic Warfare Bureau

The Economic Warfare Bureau, or EWB, is a government department run jointly by the Freethinker Treasury and the Commonwealth National Intelligence Organisation, charged with maintaining the security and integrity of the Mintel, the Freethinker Central Reserve, and the financial networks of the Commonwealth. Its contribution to the stability of the currency has been a vital factor in ensuring the success of the Freethinker economy even as it went through the transition to the Future Tech era.

The EWB has a significant number of duties and areas of concern that it engages either by itself or as part of a combined government response. These include, but are not limited to;

• Physical security of Freethinker Central Reserve and Freethinker Treasury assets and facilities.
• Protection and Monitoring of Freethinker financial networks and banking facilities.
• Provision of expertise with regards to national and transborder financial organised crime alongside the security services.

International Valuation

The Mintel operates on a free, floating exchange rate on the international markets, and currently sits, along with most high-performing economies, at a level of exchange roughly equal to ~US$2 = 1Mt. This provides a reasonably stable (and predictable) rate of exchange, which is considered a vital component of the important international finance and trading sectors.

Nicknames

Mint - Slang shortening of Mintel, use is extremely common. Buck - Notable slang for a variety of currencies. Shinies - Slang for higher value (1 & 2 Mintel) coinage, from the silver colouration of these coins.