Yonderian Argent

The Argent (Gothic: Silber, symbol: Ặ; ISO code: YAG for Yonderian Argent, typically known outside Yonderre as the Yonderian Argent) was the currency of the Serene Grand Duchy Yonderre from 1566 until its replacement by the Levantine Union Taler in 1966. The Argent subdivided into 100 Cuvire. When the Argent was taken out of use in 1966 and replaced with the Taler, the exchange rate was 2.92 Argents to 1 Taler. Argent coin denominations in 1966 were 1 Cuvire, 5 Cuvire, 10 Cuvire, 25 Cuvire, 50 Cuvire, 1 Argent, 2, Argents, 5 Argents, 10 Argents and 20 Argents. Banknotes in 1966 were 50 Argents, 100 Argents, 200 Argents, 500 Argents and 1000 Argents.

From their inception, Argent coins have been minted from silver and silver alloys, chielfy from Vollardic silver and Black Forest silver. The Argent was phased out by referendum on May 12th, 1966, coninciding with the 400th anniversary of its introduction. Talers and Argents continued to be legal tender concurrently until January 1st, 1968, when Argents were fianlly declared voided. A movement exists in Yonderre to reintroduce the Argent with limited popular support (7.59% in 2010, 8.52% in 2020).

Etymology
The Argent takes its name from the Burgoignesc word for silver, argent, same as the subunit Cuvire being named after the Burgoignesc word for cupper, cuvire. Similarly, the Gothic language name for the currency became Silber, the subunit Kupfer.

History
Prior to the Conquest of Joanusterra, numerous currencies existed simultaneously across East Gothica that were generally accepted throughout the region including Krone, Silber, Mark and Gilden. These currencies remained in circulation at a myriad of fluctuant exchange values until Grand Count of Yonderre Falco I Sentinelleau let coins be minted and put into circulation on May 12th, 1566.

The metal content of minted coins was subject to debasement over the centuries, an easy way to generate income for the monarch and/or the state. Taxes were sometimes imposed via the coinage, such as by the compulsory substitution of coins handed in by new coins handed out with a lower silver content. As a result of the debasement, the public started to lose trust in the respective coins. Yonderian currency was overhauled several times in attempts to restore public trust in the coins, and later issued in paper money from around the time of the Yonderian Golden Age of the nineteenth century.