Currency

The currency in the World of Avatar seems to be based on precious metals and quite possibly on a gold standard. All nations that use currency seem to use the same metals though fashion them in different shapes and sizes.

It is the metal that is valuable, and not the currency itself, much as it was in many parts of the world before the adoption of the banknote. Most nations appear to use gold, silver and copper pieces, with gold seemingly having the largest value.

Air Nomads
It is unknown as of yet the type of currency or whether the Air Nomads used any.

Water Tribe


Water Tribe currency is blue and circular, with a hole in the center. It is possibly used in trade with surrounding settlements near the two poles. Not much is known about the Water Tribe's currency other than the fact that it is accepted in certain parts of the Earth Kingdom. As the Water Tribes utilize a smaller economic system based on subsistence, their economic system is not as advanced or sophisticated as the economic systems of industrial nations such as the Earth Kingdom.

Earth Kingdom
Earth Kingdom coins are mostly round, and all have a square hole in their center which allows them to be strung together. The shape of Earth Kingdom currency is the same as the nation's insignia. Therefore, it can be assumed that the coins were modeled after the insignia of the Earth Kingdom, or that the insignia was inspired by the design of the nation's currency. There is no significant difference between copper, silver, and gold pieces besides the materials of which they are made. The only notable difference is that in gold pieces, the borders are marked by a richer shade of gold.



Copper Piece
The copper piece is the coin with the least value in the Earth Kingdom. It is a small circular copper coin, with a square hole in the middle. Copper pieces are similar to Chinese coins.

Aang offered a copper piece to a Pirate Captain for a Waterbending scroll. The low value of the copper piece is also shown when a Fire Nation guard collecting taxes threw these coins back to their owner.

Silver Piece
A silver piece is a kind of Earth Kingdom coin worth more than a copper piece, but less than a gold piece. It is made of silver, and is the second most valuable monetary item next to gold. No silver pieces are seen during the series.

Gold Piece
The gold piece is the most valuable coin in the Earth Kingdom. It is worth more than several copper pieces and silver pieces put together.

Lao Bei Fong offered a box of gold pieces to Xin Fu and Master Yu to bring back Toph after she ran away from the Bei Fong estate in Gaoling to join the Avatar on his journey.

Fire Nation
Fire Nation coins are much more angular than their Earth Kingdom counterparts. They vary according to weight, size, and shape, though all have a nationalistic image on one side and writing on the opposite. The Chinese word that is used to refer to the Fire Nation currency is 板 (bǎn), which literally means a metal slab.



Copper Piece
The copper piece is the least valuable coin in the Fire Nation, made of copper. It is a rectangle with two concave sides. A small image of a flame is in its center.

Silver Piece


The silver piece is the smallest coin in the Fire Nation. It is pentagonal in shape with the national emblem on its front. Although small in size, it is considered to be the second most valuable coin in the Fire Nation.

Gold Piece
The gold piece is the longest coin in the Fire Nation and is mostly rectangular in shape with a long slit running from its base to a little below its top. It consists entirely of gold. Gold pieces are the most valuable coins in the Fire Nation, and they are often seen in sealed chests or loot bags.