Ciam and Simo Currency

The base unit of currency, derived from the old world term for ounce. Historically, and up to the development of the fiat system, one ciam was equivalent to one fluid ounce of water. Though the currency is no longer water based, small towns and back alleys still trade in water. It is also not uncommon to hear objects valued by the amount of water they are worth, instead of in ciams. With the Technocracy though, the ciam is gaining strength as it now represents the amount of effort needed to produce goods. For example: a shirt may cost 5 ciams. This is because the materials cost 1 ciam, the tailor is paid 3 ciams, and the shop takes 1 ciam as a profit. 

For example wages in this currency, see "Class System in Antiford".

Simo

The ciam is also broken into smaller units called simos. There are twenty simos to one ciam. The origin of the word comes from the old world word for twentieth.
Most trade between countries is conducted through a series of trades and barter for needed resources.

Forms of the Currency

In Antiford there are two forms that the currency takes, coins and paper bills.
The coins occur in values of one, two, three, five, and ten simo and one, two, and five ciam. Among most of the population, coins are the most widely used. They are made of different materials. All of them have the denomination displayed on the reverse of the coin.

• One simo: This small coin is made out of copper.
  
• Two simo: This coin is also made of copper but is larger than the one simo coin.
  
• Three simo: This small coin is made of copper. It is a little larger than the two simo coin.
  
• Five simo: This coin is made of brass, but is about the size of the one simo coin.
  
• Ten simo: This coin is made of brass, and is about the size of the two simo coin.

• One ciam: This small coin is made of silver and is about the size of a one simo coin.
  
• Two ciam: This coin is made of silver and is about the size of the two simo coin.
  
• Five ciam:  This coin is made of silver and is about the size of the three simo coin.
  

The bills occur in values of ten, twenty-five, fifty, one hundred, and five hundred ciams. There are also bills of larger values that are used by businesses and the elite for large transactions. It should be noted that at sufficiently high-value transactions, water and other resources are still widely used as the currency. This form of currency is gaining popularity among the upper classes out of a desire to carry their wealth in a less cumbersome manner.