Currency
Currency in Yuriba comes in the form of the Lily, the island's unique line of coins. While most economic necessities on the island are provided free of charge, the use of lilies is often encouraged among visitors unfamiliar with the traditional Yuriban favour-based economy.
Origins of the Lily
The modern lily has its origins in the ancient Lilian practice of trading favours. Eschewing a conventional coin-based economy, the Lilians frequently exchanged goods and services for favours to be rendered at a later date. These favours were represented by a bouquet of lilies. The number of lilies given by an individual represented the number of favours the recipient was entitled to from the giver.
The practice of lilies as representative of favours endured through most of Yuriban history. Only the arrival of visitors from outside has prompted a transition from a favour economy to a conventional coin-based economy, mainly because many visitors to Yuriba had trouble understanding the concept of the favour as an economic base; many locals complained of newcomers never returning their favours. Solid currency was quickly established as a means of ensuring immediate compensation for services rendered. Today actual lilies are represented symbolically by the lily line of coins, though in many cases the exchange of lilies is ignored in favour of the older exchange of favours.
Solid Currency
The term Lily applies generally to Yuriban currency but can also be narrowed down to refer specifically to the most basic Yuriban coin, a single piece worth one lily. Several other coins exist, including coins representing five, ten, twenty, and fifty-lily denominations as well as a hundred-lily coin (a Bouquet) and a rare thousand-lily coin known as a Garden.
Lilies all follow a basic standard of design. All of the coins are small, thin disks, though they vary in size. On all coins one face bears the image of a lily with six engraved petals, the tips of which stick out very slightly over the edge of the coin. All coins save for the basic lily are cored with a small coloured crystal on the lily face, which forms the heart of the flower. Physically the coins appear as follows.
- Lily: A small copper coin with no gem at the core. The image of Inishie occupies the rear face.
- Five-lily coin: A copper coin slightly larger than the Lily, set with a tiny blue crystal at the core of the lily. The opposing face bears the image of Momiji stands arm-in-arm with Akibimi.
- Ten-lily coin: A silver coin about the size of an American nickel, set with a yellow crystal at the lily's core. On the opposing side, Amanohara reclines on a cloud.
- Twenty-lily coin: A silver coin about the size of a Canadian quarter, set with a green crystal at the heart of the lily. On the opposing side, Issui, Harumeku, and Fuyuzora dance arm-in-arm.
- Fifty-lily coin: A silver coin about the size of a Canadian one-dollar coin, set with a violet crystal at the lily's center. The opposing side features Zansho lying in a flowerbed.
- Bouquet: A silver coin with gold petals, slightly larger than the fifty; at the heart of the lily is an indigo crystal. The image of Engetsu kissing Chikyuu appears on the opposing face.
- Garden: A golden coin with silver petals, it is the same size as the bouquet, cored with a vivid pink crystal. On the back face, The Lady is depicted, sakura petals billowing around her.
The introduction of basic capitalism to Yuriba has led to some citizens beginning to accrue vast quantities of lilies. A result of this is the creation of lilinium, effectively large bars of electrum typically worth 50,000 lilies, melted down to an easily-stored form. Lilinium bars are rarely used as actual currency and represent, by and large, a hoarding of absurd quantities of favours. The creation of lilinium has been occasionally credited to trading card mogul Kaleaithne and swimsuit calendar vendor Rachel Anderson.
Availability
Because the nature of Yuriba's economy negates the idea of poverty, lilies are widely available. Even the newest arrivals to Yuriba are given a small bundle of lilies, and gaining more over time is simply a matter of tenure: The longer one stays in Yuriba, the more lilies one is entitled to. The concept of a capitalist economy is alien to Yuriba, and as such lilies are not meant to be earned but are instead intended to be given freely in place of actual favours; because of this the coins are easily hoarded. Conversely, while it is easy to stockpile large numbers of lilies, the coins themselves are merely symbolic and have no worth as a determinant of personal wealth, which is meaningless in Yuriba.