Black Flag reckons money in pieces of eight (Era Rules, Money and Credit). Prices below use that coin, with sterling in brackets when English records supply a figure. Sourcebook units remain reference values rather than currency. Equipment statistics belong to their cited sourcebooks and are reproduced unchanged; this chapter supplies their prices in pieces of eight.
A ~ marks a price drawn from a range, a nearby year or a value set alongside documented examples. Prices without historical support appear in Legend boxes.
Money
- The piece of eight is rated at 4s 6d sterling in London. In the colonies Queen Anne's proclamation of 18 June 1704 rated a full-weight piece at 6s, and Jamaica passed pieces at 6s 3d in 1722. A seller may quote in any of these, so a price in a port can differ from this book's by a fifth or a third. The book's rate is 4s 6d.
- The coin is a hand-struck cob of 0.9306 fine silver, and milled coinage does not begin at Mexico until 1732.
- Coin was short in the British islands, and the Leewards kept accounts in sugar. A seller there may ask for sugar, rum or cloth instead of silver.
- Paper pushed silver from 6s 10d to 9s an ounce in New York and New England in 1717 to 1718. A character who is paid in colonial paper loses a third of it in London.
- A Company's silver is shares paid in pieces of eight (Era Rules, Crew and Articles) and does not wear out.
Sourcebook Units
Sourcebooks use a shared pricing unit. The tables' unit column identifies the original entry; it provides no exchange rate. Use the nearest price band below for unlisted items. Equipment statistics remain governed by the owning sourcebook.
Wages and Income
| Pay | Per | Sterling | Pieces of eight | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navy landsman | lunar month | 18s | 4 | Navy establishment, 1700 |
| Navy seaman | lunar month | 19s | 4¼ | Navy establishment, 1700 |
| Navy able seaman | lunar month | £1 4s | 5⅓ | Navy establishment, 1700 |
| Merchant seaman, in peace | month | 25s to 30s | 5½ to 6⅔ | Merchant ships, peacetime |
| Navy boatswain of a fourth rate | lunar month | £2 10s | 11 | Navy establishment, 1700 |
| Soldier, Virginia force | month | 30s | 6⅔ | Virginia, 1715 |
| Soldier's quarters, Jamaica | week | 5s | about 1 | Jamaica, 1714 |
| Officer's quarters, Jamaica | week | 20s | 4½ | Jamaica, 1714 |
| Soldier's keep | day | 6d | ⅑ | Annapolis Royal, 1714; the Bahamas, 1717 |
| Newfoundland boat master | season | £20 to £30 | 89 to 133 | Newfoundland, 1714 to 1716 |
| Privateer sailor's lot | cruise | £10 | 44 | Rogers's council, 1708 |
| Privateer officer below the carpenter | cruise | £20 | 89 | Rogers's council, 1708 |
| Privateer mate, gunner, boatswain or carpenter | cruise | £40 | 178 | Rogers's council, 1708 |
| Privateer lieutenant or master | cruise | £70 | 311 | Rogers's council, 1708 |
| Pirate hand | a share | by the articles | see Era Rules | Roberts, Lowther, Phillips |
Character Creation and Roles lists pay by Role. Do not add monthly wages to the Stake: they cover untracked living costs. Award cash when play produces income, such as a share, fee, reward or prize.
Price Bands
For undocumented prices, choose the appropriate band.
| Band | Pieces | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Trifle | under 1 | A drink, a candle, a meal, a quart of beer, a knife |
| Small | 1 to 5 | A shirt, a pair of shoes, a cutlass, a Sea Service Pistol, a month of an able seaman's pay (5⅓) |
| Moderate | 6 to 25 | A Belt Pistol, a musket, a fowling piece, a month of a boatswain's pay (11), a swivel gun (24) |
| Large | 26 to 100 | A surgeon's chest, a suit of black, a horse at Jamaica, a Light or Medium Gun |
| Great | 101 to 500 | A pair of fancy pistols, a Long Nine or Heavy Gun, a cargo of logwood |
| Princely | over 500 | A sloop (about 750, Legend), a prize's cargo |
The Stake covers kit with something left over. Daily spending ashore is 1 piece, or 3 for a Spree (Era Rules, The Prize and Fence Loop). A Hand's 6 pieces roughly equal an able seaman's monthly pay (5⅓): enough for a cutlass (2), knife (½) and three days ashore. An Officer's 12 cover a pistol (5), sword (2) and five days ashore. A Clerk's 24 pay for a writing case (4) and about three weeks' lodging. A Master's 45 fund a share in a small cargo, backed by Debt.
What the Record Gives
| Thing | Price | Pieces | Where and when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cassava bread, a hundredweight | 7s 6d (double in scarcity) | 1⅔ | Jamaica, c. 1688 |
| A green turtle | 15s to 18s | 3⅓ to 4 | Port Royal, c. 1688 |
| A gill of rum | 3d | ¹⁄₁₈ | A tavern, New Jersey, 1729 (as quoted) |
| A pint of wine | 1s | ²⁄₉ | A tavern, New Jersey, 1729 (as quoted) |
| A quart of strong beer | 4d | about ¹⁄₁₃ | A tavern, New Jersey, 1729 (as quoted) |
| A bowl of punch | 7d | ⅛ | A tavern, New Jersey, 1729 (as quoted) |
| Rum, a gallon | 3 to 5 pieces of eight | 3 to 5 | A pirate market, Madagascar, 1697; several times the going price |
| Wine, a gallon by the barrel; a bottle | 3 pieces; 1 piece | 3; 1 | A pirate market, Madagascar, 1697 |
| A tankard of beer | 1 piece of eight | 1 | A pirate market, Madagascar, 1697 |
| A pair of fancy pistols between pirates | £30 to £40 | 133 to 178 | Aboard a pirate ship, c. 1720 |
| Logwood, a ton, bought; sold | £3; £6 | 13⅓; 26⅔ | Campeche and Port Royal, c. 1688 |
| Pitch, a ton | £9 | 40 | Carolina, 1716 |
| A New England horse, at Jamaica | £15 | 66⅔ | Jamaica, c. 1688 |
| A bale of goods | 140 pieces | 140 | Guayaquil, 1709 |
| A suit of black | £7 to £8 | 31 to 36 | A Portuguese colony, c. 1720 |
| A chest of medicines, mostly mercury, the price of a ransom | £300 to £400 | 1,333 to 1,778 | Charles Town, 1718 |
LEGEND
The following rates draw on an undated Port Royal probate sample, a forum quotation or one ship's accounts. Use them at the table without treating them as verified history: cloth coat 12s 6d to 15s (2¾ to 3⅓ pieces); hat 10s (2¼); three shirts 12s (2⅔); shoes 5s 6d (1¼); red waistcoat with silver lace 15s (3⅓); fowling piece £2 (9); army sword 7s 6d to 10s (1⅔ to 2¼); thirty-gallon rum barrel £3 (13⅓); brandy hogshead about £10 (44); undated sloop £168 (747); fitted ship about £20 per ton; merchant mate's monthly pay £2 5s (10), recorded on one ship in 1679.
People Are Not Gear
Every English, Spanish, French and Dutch Caribbean colony bought and sold enslaved people, and slave ships operated for profit. Recorded sums include £14 for a man on the Gold Coast in 1704; £21 to £23 under a Barbados contract of 1720/21 (102, 98 and 93 pieces for a man, woman and child); £18 in the Leewards in 1726; and Barbados planters' claim of £25 to £40 in 1709. Capturing a slaver places people under the Company's control; its articles determine their fate. A person has no equipment price and cannot be bought with a Stake. Resolve the encounter as a scene (Era Rules, The Prize and Fence Loop).
Availability by Place
| Place | What a character finds |
|---|---|
| Nassau | A beach settlement with no shops. Goods are sold from prizes on the beach and from a tavern keeper's stock; anything taken at sea is for sale, and nothing is guaranteed |
| Port Royal | A full port: chandlers, gunsmiths, a surgeon's shop, a Vice-Admiralty court. Everything is on sale at a price within the bands, and a stranger with Infamy 3 or more is watched |
| Charles Town | A planter's market: rice, naval stores, wine; arms and powder under the governor's licence |
| Havana | A Spanish port: goods sold to the Spanish flag and to a bribe; no English arms at all |
| Bermuda and the minor ports | A shipyard, a store of provisions and a ship's mechanics; thin on arms |
Each item's sourcebook classifies availability as Common, Military or Restricted. Common goods are sold in every listed port. Companies obtain Military equipment, such as muskets or great guns, through a governor or fence. Restricted substances such as Theriac require a physician or apothecary.
The Essential Gear Table
All prices use pieces of eight (~), estimated alongside recorded examples: swords about 2, fowling pieces 9, fancy pistol pairs 133 to 178. The cited sourcebook controls every statistic. All entries are permitted within 1660 to 1730.
Firearms and boarding gear (The Black Powder Armory, Master Tables)
Read sourcebook Light Ranged and Heavy Ranged as Core Ranged, and Gunnery as Operate (Gunnery) (Skills and Talents).
| Weapon | Skill | Dmg | Crit | Range | Enc | Unit | Avail | Period | Qualities | Price (pieces) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belt Pistol | Light Ranged | 6 | 4 | Short | 1 | 200 | Common | 1650 | Prepare 2, Unreliable, Concealable 1 | 6 |
| Sea Service Pistol | Light Ranged | 6 | 4 | Short | 2 | 150 | Common | 1650 | Prepare 2, Unreliable | 5 |
| Fowling Piece | Heavy Ranged | 7 | 3 | Medium | 4 | 300 | Common | 1650 | Prepare 2, Unreliable | 9 |
| Musket | Heavy Ranged | 8 | 3 | Medium | 4 | 250 | Military | 1650 | Prepare 2, Unreliable | 7 |
| Blunderbuss | Heavy Ranged | 8 | 3 | Short | 3 | 250 | Common | 1650 | Blast 4, Knockdown, Prepare 2, Unreliable | 8 |
| Swivel Gun | Gunnery | 10 | 3 | Medium | — | 800 | Military | 1400 | Blast 6, Emplaced, Crew 2, Prepare 4, Unreliable, Siege 2 | 24 |
| Boarding Pike | Melee | +2 | 3 | Engaged | 3 | 30 | Common | 1400 | Reach, Defensive 1 | 1 |
| Plug Bayonet | Melee | +2 | 3 | Engaged | 1 | 20 | Military | 1650 | Defensive 1 | ½ |
| Grapnel | Light Ranged | +1 | 5 | Short | 2 | 25 | Common | 1400 | Ensnare 1, Limited Ammo 1 | 1 |
| Grenado | Light Ranged | 7 | 4 | Short | 1 | 30 | Military | 1400 | Blast 5, Limited Ammo 1, Prepare 1, Unreliable | 1 |
| Fire Pot | Light Ranged | 5 | 5 | Short | 1 | 10 | Common | 1400 | Burn 2, Blast 2, Limited Ammo 1, Prepare 1 | ½ |
| Powder Keg | Craft | 14 | 3 | Placed | 6 | 150 | Common | 1400 | Blast 10, Limited Ammo 1, Prepare 2, Cumbersome 3, Siege 3 | 7 |
| Powder Charge | Craft | 10 | 3 | Placed | 1 | 40 | Common | 1400 | Blast 6, Limited Ammo 1, Prepare 2, Siege 2 | 2 |
Blades and tools (The Fantasy Armory, Master Weapons Table)
Use the Falchion for a cutlass or hanger, the Dagger for a dirk and the Hatchet for a boarding axe (The Black Powder Armory, Names for Fantasy Armory Weapons).
| Weapon | Dmg | Crit | Range | Enc | Unit | Avail | Type | Qualities | Price (pieces) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falchion | +3 | 3 | Engaged | 2 | 135 | Common | Cutting | Vicious 1, Sunder | 2 |
| Dagger | +1 | 3 | Engaged | 1 | 70 | Common | Thrusting, Cutting | Pierce 1, Concealable 1 | 1 |
| Hatchet | +2 | 3 | Engaged | 1 | 90 | Common | Cutting | Vicious 1, Sunder | 1 |
| Knife | +1 | 3 | Engaged | 1 | 40 | Common | Thrusting, Cutting | — | ½ |
| Sabre | +3 | 3 | Engaged | 2 | 160 | Military | Cutting | Momentum 2, Balanced 1 | 3 |
Bows (The Ranged Armory, Master Weapons Table)
| Weapon | Dmg | Crit | Range | Enc | Unit | Avail | Type | Qualities | Price (pieces) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Bow | 6 | 3 | Medium | 1 | 200 | Common | Thrusting | Cumbersome 2, Point Blank 1 | 3 |
| Longbow | 8 | 3 | Long | 2 | 475 | Common | Thrusting | Arcing, Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 3, Point Blank 2 | 6 |
Armour (The Armourer, Master Tables)
| Armour | Resistance | Melee Def | Ranged Def | Enc | Unit | Avail | Qualities | Price (pieces) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Padded Jack | +1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 40 | Common | Deflecting 1 (Crushing), Vulnerable 1 (Thrusting) | 1½ |
| Leather Jerkin | +1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 50 | Common | Deflecting 1 (Cutting) | 2 |
Medicine (The Apothecary, Master Tables)
| Substance | In brief | Onset | Lasts | Limit | Tags | Unit | Avail | Price (pieces) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poppy Tincture | Recover 3 Strain; ignore one Critical Injury's penalty | 10 minutes | 4 hours | 2 | Habit 2 | 30 | Common | 2 |
| Emetic | Purges a swallowed poison during its Onset | None | — | — | — | 5 | Common | ½ |
| Theriac | General antidote: 2 Boon Dice against one poison | 1 round | 1 day | 1 | — | 100 | Restricted | 7 |
Great guns (The Heavy Armory, Master Tables)
Ships come with their guns. Listed gun prices apply when buying separately for a fort, boat or refit.
| Weapon | Mount | Hull | Crit | Range | Crew | Unit | Avail | From | Type | Qualities | Price (pieces) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Gun | Light | 3 | 4 | Long | 3 | 1500 | Military | 1400 | Ballistic | Crew 3, Slow-Firing 2, Unreliable | 45 |
| Medium Gun | Standard | 5 | 3 | Long | 5 | 3000 | Military | 1400 | Ballistic | Crew 5, Slow-Firing 2, Unreliable | 90 |
| Long Nine | Standard | 5 | 3 | Extreme | 5 | 4500 | Military | 1650 | Ballistic | Accurate 1, Crew 5, Slow-Firing 2 | 135 |
| Heavy Gun | Heavy | 7 | 3 | Long | 8 | 6000 | Military | 1400 | Ballistic | Pierce 1, Crew 8, Slow-Firing 3, Unreliable | 180 |
| Mortar | Heavy | 7 | 4 | Medium to Long | 5 | 5000 | Military | 1400 | Blast | Indirect, Blast 5, Burn 1, Emplaced, Crew 5, Slow-Firing 3, Inaccurate 1 | 150 |
Not legal in 1660 to 1730
Exclude these later entries: Duelling Pistol and Duck-Foot Pistol (1770), Volley Gun (1779), Pepperbox (1835), Carronade (1779), Shell shot (1820) and Frigate (1780).
Kit, Papers and Trade Goods
The following Role kit lacks sourcebook prices. Values marked ~ use this chapter's bands; Legend exceptions are noted.
| Item | Pieces | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenter's chest (adze, saw, augers, caulking iron, pitch pot) | 20 | |
| Telescope, brass | 12 | |
| Compass and dividers | 5 | |
| Surgeon's chest (instruments, bandages, a stock of medicines) | 40 | The surgeon's chest in the record is a ransom, not a price |
| Scales and weights | 3 | |
| Ledger or account book, and ink | 2 | |
| Writing case and seal | 4 | |
| A Bible; a missal | 4; 6 | |
| A gown or a cassock | 6 | |
| A tally board | ½ | |
| A barrel of rum, thirty gallons | 13⅓ | Legend (above) |
| Jesuit's bark, a pound | 4 | For ague (Era Rules, Scurvy and Fever) |
| A letter of marque | 1,000, as a bond | This book's rule: posted with the court, forfeit if a prize is taken from a friendly flag, returned when the commission lapses (Era Rules, Law at Sea and Ashore) |
What Lodging, Food and Passage Cost
Few prices survive for 1716, so use the bands. Keep and lodging cost a hand one piece daily ashore (Era Rules, The Prize and Fence Loop); garrison soldiers receive 6d (⅑ piece) for keep. The daily piece includes a room at Nassau or Port Royal. Tavern meals are Trifles. Passage costs Small to Moderate, with the GM weighing distance, cargo and the master's temper.