Medieval Prices

talesoftheramblingbumblers.com/2017/02/16/medieval-prices
February 17, 2017

This is my reworking of the medieval price list at Medieval Prices into a form easy to use in RPGs, particularly D&D-likes.
I’ve based it on a silver economy, since I like gold to be rare enough that a chest of gold is a fabulous treasure, not a couple
month’s living expenses. You can change it back to standard D&D just by reading the numbers as gold and cp as silver. These
prices represent approximately 1/4 the prices listed in the reference, since they’re calculated in four-pence pieces to make them
large enough for carrying, and in some cases adjusted slightly to better fit existing RPG price lists or to give prices for some
common things adventurers want to buy that weren’t on the list.

Except where noted, prices in this list are given in silver pennies about 24mm diameter (1/60 of a pound), roughly the size of a
quarter.

The most common gold coin is worth 10 silver pennies, and weighs about 3.5 grams (about the size of a $5 American gold
eagle, 1/10th of an ounce), roughly the size of a dime. A gold coin about the size of a quarter would weigh (and be worth) five
times as much, or near enough for RPG work. This conveniently puts an ounce of gold as being worth 100 silver pieces.

A copper farthing (where used) is worth 1/20 an SP would have weighed about six pennyweights, and been the size of an old
Australian or British penny (31mm diameter).

Armour
Cloth Gambeson 10
Leather 15
Courbouilli 25
Scale 150
Mail 300
Brigandine 325
Partial plate 420
Plate armor, complete 500
Plate (of Proof) 600
Bascinet Helmet, with lining 50
Board & Lodging
College/boarding school, per week 6
Inn, London- beds, per night 3cp
Inn, rural- meal with drinks 5cp
heat and light private chamber 3cp
beds for gentlemen, per night 2 cp
beds for servants, per night 1cp
hot bath 5cp
stabling and fodder (per horse) 4cp
Rent, cottage, per year 15
craftsman’s house 60

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merchant’s
Board house
& Lodging 150
Building construction
Church, 1251, stonework only 6750
cathedral 125,000+
Cottage, 2storey- w. material free 120
Hall & chamber, modest (-labour only, materials from estate) 720
Hovel, from materials available 30
Wooden gatehouse, with drawbridge
-with materials from estate 320
-plus value of materials 960
Stone gatehouse, in modest private castle
-with materials from estate 1,000
-plus value of materials 1,800
Tower (in large royal castle) 12,000
Well, per fathom deep 4.5
Buildings & real estate
Row house (in York, well built) 300
Craftsman1s house, with shop, workers quarters, and tile roof 720
Merchant’s house, in large city 1,800
House with a courtyard, 2 5400
Guildhall in large city (hall, 2 chambers, buttery, pantry, kitchen) 8,150
Clothing
Prices listed are for plain, standard-quality. Apply modifiers for
expensive materials, fine workmanship, and so forth.
Belt, weapon 5cp
Boots, pair 2
Chemise, linen 2
Cloak, woolen 9
” fur-lined 19
Gown (long), woolen 9
Gloves * 7cp
Hat 2.5
Kirtle, woolen 6
Purse 4cp
Quiver, red leather 2.25
Robe, woolen 9
Scarf 2cp
Shoes, pair 1
Surcoat, linen 6
Trousers*, woolen 5
Tunic (short)/doublet 6
Underlinen 3
Clothing modifiers
Dyed, dear (scarlet, green, black) x1.6
” rare (purple, royal blue) x2
Fur lining, cheap +20
” luxury furs +120-180
Fine cloth x2
Shoddy (recycled rags) x0.4
Silk x12
Household furnishings
Basin & ewer 4-8
Blanket, woolen 4
Bottle 8cp
Bowl, earthenware 1cp
Candles, tallow, in the country, per lb. 4cp
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Household
” tallow, in furnishings
a large city, per lb. 5cp
” wax, per lb. 16cp
Chair 1
Chest 15cp
2 large, for clothes 6
Coffer (strongbox) 3
Cup, earthenware 1cp
2 glass 7cp
Ewer, metal (brass?) 25cp
Knife, eating 5cp
Mattress, straw 5cp
Mirror, silvered 6
Padlock 3
Pillow 3cp
Plate, earthenware 1cp
Pot, cooking, ceramic 1cp
2 brass, large 8cp
Sheet, linen 2cp
Stool 8cp
Towel 15cp
Table 15cp
Information and Instruction

(a pecia is approx. 7,500 words,the Bible is about 100 pecia)

Books, per pecia 2.5
Book rental, per pecia per year 2cp
Fencing instruction, per month 30
Tuition, monastery school, per year 120
“, private schoolmaster 40
Tuition, University, basic courses 120
” fashionable lecturers, etc. 300+
Livestock
Capon 5cp
Calf, weaned 2.5
Cow 18
” good milker 30
Duck 2cp
Donkey or mule* 70
Falcon, trained gerfalcon 12
” trained goshawk 15
Fowl (hen) 1cp
Goose 7cp
Horse, riding hack 75+
” pony* 75+
” trained for horse-archer 120+
” draught horse 300+
” palfrey 420+
” hunter* 525+
” trained destrier 2,400+
Ox 27
Pig (in breeding country) 6
” (in a large city) 9
Pigeons (4) 2.5
Sheep (in breeding country) 25cp
” (in a large city) 4.25

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Precious items
Necklace, gold 20
” pearl 70
Ring, gold setting with diamonds 450
” gold setting with ruby 80
Spoon, silver 7
Provisions
Ale, per gallon 1cp
Bacon, per side 2cp
Bread, 2 loaves (24 oz?) 1cp
Cider, per tun 15

Cheese, retail, per lb 5cp

” whole, 80 lb 10
Eggs, per dozen 1
Fish, herrings, per dozen 2
” Pike, whole, 31 long 20
” Sturgeon, per barrel 99
Fruit, figs, per 3 lb 1
” pears, 10 1
” pomegranate, 1 only 15cp
Gingerbread, per lb 15
Grain, barley, per quarter 5
” oats, per quarter 4
” wheat, per quarter 9.5
Ham, whole 4
Onions, 1 bushel 2
Partridges, per brace 1
Raisins, per lb 5cp
Salt, per bushel 8cp
Spices, per lb up to 42
Sugar, per lb 3
Wine, fine claret, per tun (252 gal.) 120
” best, per gallon 1-2
” cheapest, per gallon 5cp
To feed a lord, per day 2
” a squire 5cp-1sp
” yeoman 5cp-15cp
” groom 4cp-5cp
Services
Armour, clean & de-rust 12cp
” overhaul & varnish 4
Carriage, annual maintenance 3-9
Cesspit, empty out 20
Courier, 1 horse, per 50 km or day 3
“, 2 horses, per 100 km or day 4.5
Ferry, river crossing for man & horse 2-3cp
Guide, for one night 2-3cp
Milling grain, per quarter 2-3cp
Minstrel, to play at an inn 2-3cp
” Christmas gig at manor house 9
Stabling & care, warhorse, per day 13cp
” foal 2 4cp
Stationery
Parchment, folio, per leaf 1cp

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Vellum 2
Stationery 3cp
Wax, sealing, per lb. 5cp
Tools and hardware
Anvil 60
Armourer1s tools, complete 831
Auger 8cp
Axe 1
Barrel 8cp
Bellows, large (for forge) 60
Bucket 1
Canvas, 25 yards 20
Chisel 1
Loom and treadle 6
Pick* 4
Plow 9
Rope, light, per fathom 1cp
Sand barrel (for cleaning mail) 2.25
Saw, hand* 3
Saw, cross-cut* 8
Shovel* 4cp
Spade 4cp
Spinning wheel (late) 2.25
Vat 1
Vise 40
Yoke 4
Vehicles
Barge 600
Boat, 101 sailing 20
Carrack 225
Carriage 80
Cart, iron-bound 12
2, wooden, unfit for long trips 6
Cutter 25
Dray/waggon, iron-shod wheels 30
Galley, 40-oared* 2,120
” 80-oared & masted* 3,725
Wages & Incomes
Labourer, per day 3cp
Craftsman, per day
armourer 13cp-15cp
carpenter 8cp
mason 1
weaver 6cp-7cp
apprentice carpenter 4cp
apprentice armourer 1
Landowner, per year (in GP)
” knight 180-1800
” baron or abbot 1200-3000
” earl/count or bishop 2400-66,000
” King (of England) 180,000
Mercenary, per day
Archer 8cp
” mounted 1.5
Knight banneret 12
Knight 6
5/7
Infantryman,
Wages & Incomesarmoured 1
Man-at-arms, mounted 3
Squire 4
Priest (in a chantry), per year 280
Servant, per year (plus bed & board)
” squire 40-60
” carter, porter, groom, 15-25
falconer, messenger, etc.
” indoor and kitchen 6-12
” boys and pages 3-9
Weapons
Swords
Dagger* 1
Main gauche* 2
Short sword* 7
Falchion 3
Scimitar* 5
Tulwar* 5
Rapier* 3
Sabre* 4
Broadsword* 4
Estoc* 5
Hand & a Half* 8
Claymore* 8
Two-handed sword* 8
Hafted weapons
Hand axe 1
Battle axe 2
Great axe 2
Giant axe 3
Crude club 0
War club 2cp
Torch 2cp
Mace 1

Giant mace 3
War hammer 1
War pick 2
Flail 1
Morningstar 1
Mattock 1
Quarterstaff 2cp
Buck-and-a-Quarterstaff 1.25
Sap 1cp
Pole weapons
Javelin 3cp
Spear 1
Giant spear 2
Pike 1
Lance 1.5
Halberd 1
Poleaxe 2
Trident 2
Glaive 1
Giant glaive 2.5
Missile weapons
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Sling
Weapons 3cp
Short bow 4
Long bow 5
Composite bow 6
Giant bow 14
Crossbow 15
Cranequin for above 10
Spearthrower 4cp
Blowgun 5cp
Ammunition
Arrows (longbow),30 1
Bolts (crossbow), 20 15cp
Bullets, lead (sling),4 1cp
Entangling weapons
Net 8cp
Bolas 1
Whip 2
Anachronistic weapons
Cestus 1
Garotte 5cp
Shields
Buckler 5cp
Small round shield* 8cp
Large round shield* 1
Kite shield* 1.25
Tower shield* 2
Main gauche* 2
Legal privileges
Apprenticeship, guild of carpenters 3
2 company of mercers 12
Freedom (of a city) 10-60
Marriage licence (for serf) 3-40
Membership, guild of carpenters 10
2 company of mercers 60
2 other guilds 20-180
Nobility, patent of 7500

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