The Newer Numismatic Naming Act

[Hooligan]

Fellow Talossans:

The draft act being presented here has been, for quite some time, a topic of discussion among the peers of the realm, the Chairman of the Royal Bank & Post, and most recently, the members of my political party. All response that has been received has been positive.

The input of the nation on this proposition is now solicited, in preparation for its introduction to the Ziu.

Lord Hooligan

The Newer Numismatic Naming Act

WHEREAS the Kingdom long ago created by legislation a unit of currency, with which nothing was ever done, and

WHEREAS the institution of the Royal Bank & Post was clarified by the Royal Household Cleaning Act (35RZ24), which rendered moot its initial legislative charter (25RZ35), in which the currency of the realm was specified, and

WHEREAS there is renewed interest in establishing for the Kingdom an economic system, whether this system be describable as sound, unsound, or even ridiculous, and

WHEREAS there is sentiment that it may be best to do this from scratch, now

THEREFORE be it enacted by the Ziu that

Clause 1. Royal Bank & Post Rechartered. The Royal Bank & Post Charter Act (25RZ35) is hereby repealed. The Royal Bank & Post survives and is chartered and charged as described herein.

Clause 2. Cabinet Membership. The Chairman of the Royal Bank & Post shall be appointed by the Seneschál at his pleasure, shall sit in the Cabinet, and shall be accorded the title Minister of Finance.

Clause 3. Base Unit of Currency. The base unit of currency for the Kingdom of Talossa is hereby established and styled the "BENT." The plural of the bent is "BENCE." Convenient shortenings such as "tubbence" and "thrubbence" shall be understood and recognized by the government, and may appear on coinage and currency.

Clause 4. Second Unit of Currency. A second unit of currency, which shall have the fixed denomination of sixty (60) bence, is hereby established and styled the "LOUIS," which shall also be officially recognized by the shortened name "LOU." The plural of the lou is "LOUISE." Convenient colloqualisms for the denominations of louise are encouraged, specifically "Brock" for a single lou, "Costello" for five louise, "Ferrigno" for ten louise, "Rawls" for twenty louise, and so forth.

Clause 5. Creation and Issuance of Currency. The Royal Bank & Post is exclusively authorized to design, cause to be created, issue, and distribute coinage or other currency in any denomination of whole bence. The Royal Bank & Post is authorized to print or imprint the denomination of any coinage or currency with its value in louise, rather than in bence, as it sees fit.

Clause 6. Provisions Against Counterfeit Currency. The Royal Bank & Post shall take care to issue coinage and currency that is difficult to counterfeit, and shall report any suspected instances of counterfeiting to the Ministry of Justice for investigation and prosecution. Official terminology is hereby established that counterfeit currency denominated in louise are to be called "Alcindors" and counterfeit currency demoninated in bence are to be called "Afflecks" or "Hills."

Clause 7. Basis Commodity of Currency. The currency of the Kingdom of Talossa shall be based on a reserve of beer, which has been, and continues to be, thankfully and conveniently distributed worldwide.

Clause 8. Distribution and Redemption of Currency. Talossan currency shall be distributed in exchange for foreign currency or beer, and may be redeemed for the same with the Royal Bank & Post according to policies of exchange to be established by that body.

Clause 9. Consular Exchange of Currency. Consulates of the Kindom of Talossa may be established at any establishment applying to become a consulate and wishing to exchange either Talossan or local currency for quantities of the said reserve of beer. Such application shall be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which shall consult with the Royal Bank & Post before establishing any new consulate. The Kingdom shall provide a plaque or other sign to the establishment, which shall identify it as a consulate.

Clause 10. Creation and Sale of Postal Parapharnalia. The Royal Bank & Post may design, create, issue, and sell postage items, such as stamps and imprinted envelopes, in any demonination, and sell the same at a cost exceeding that expended for their creation. Postal items may be purchased by private individuals or organizations (such as those established to provide postal delivery services) and may be re-sold to the public in exchange for postal delivery or other services. The Royal Bank & Post is empowered to print demoninations on postal items which are above the original sale value of postal items charged to a private organization purchasing the same, so to ease any resale of these items by the private organization to the general public, by providing on the face of the item the intended retail purchase price.

Clause 11. Redemption of Postal Items Forbidden. Postal items may never be redeemed to the Royal Bank & Post for their face value or any other value.

Clause 12. Creation and Sale of Commemorative Items. The Royal Bank & Post shall design, create, issue, and sell any commemorative items of the Kingdom of Talossa. Such items may be purchased by the general public at a cost at or above that expended for their manufacture, such valuation to be determined by the Royal Bank & Post.

Clause 13. Disposition of Profit. All profit in the form of foreign currency which is realized from the sale of currency, postal items, and commemoratives shall be duly tendered by the Royal Bank & Post to the Burgermeister of Inland Revenue for deposit and safe-keeping within the Royal Treasury. Any profit realized by the Royal Bank & Post in the form of beer shall be disposed of howsoever the Royal Bank & Post sees fit.

Clause 14. Economic Policy and Investment of Royal Funds. The Royal Bank & Post is responsible for determining and enacting economic policy of the Kingdom of Talossa. Funds kept in the Royal Treasury shall be made available by the Burgermeister of Inland Revenue to the Royal Bank & Post for the purpose of making foreign investments calculated to wisely augment the value of the said Treasury. The Minister of Finance shall be responsible to the Prime Minister and the nation for the policies implemented, and shall provide a report of the financial condition of any and all such investments no less often than at the commencement of the second seated Clark of each Cosâ.

Clause 15. Royal Audit. The Burgermeister of Inland Revenue shall be permitted, as a Servant of His Majesty's Household, to audit the reported financial condition of His Majesty's investments at any time.

Clause 16. Governmental Expenses. Except when forbidden or restricted by legislation, the government of the day is empowered to requisition funds from the Royal Treasury to provide for the operation of the Royal Bank & Post, the other Cabinet Ministries, and the Prime Ministry. The amount requisitioned for the operation of each such ministry shall not in any way or for any reason increase during such time as the sitting government continues in office following having lost the confidence of the Cosâ, except it be by royal fiat and to provide for the necessary defence and preservation of the realm.

Clause 17. Assessment of Bouillon. The Royal Bank & Post shall annually appoint, from its officers and staff or other volunteer Talossan citizens, the membership of the Royal Treasury Reserve Board. This board shall be charged with regularly evaluating bouillon and providing assessments to the Chairman of the Royal Bank & Post. In addition to random samplings of bouillon as determined by the board, the duties of the board shall include attending such events as The World Beer Cup and other beer festivals.

Clause 18. Banking Operations. The Royal Bank & Post is empowered to act as a banking facility to serve citizens of the Kingdom of Talossa. The deposit and lending policies regarding of the Bank shall be established by the Royal Bank & Post. The safety of all funds deposited with the Royal Bank & Post shall be guaranteed by the government.

[Sir X. Pol Briga]

Now, Brianists in general don't ascribe to mythological deities, however, the following quotation seems appropriate

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to prosper."

--- Benjamin Franklin

(I have also seen it written as "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy)

By basing our bullion on beer, perhaps the inherent evil of money (as ascribed by certain religions) will evolve into good.

Now I have done some dabbling in craft brewing in the past, and know people who can do it much better than I can, so I will contact one of them and discuss creation of a special batch which could be enjoyed when this new policy is adopted.

XPB

[Sir Samuhel Tecladeir]

Just as a point of clarification, but the scriptures of those certain religions say it is the *love* (read it loyalty, dedication, or commitment) of that money is the source of evil, not the money itself.

I like the quote (even though I'm not a beer drinker).

So are we the only country that has the resource for our currency in a different country?? I think that's mighty cool.

[Lord Q]

I'd like a mighty cool one....

[Olaf]

I'm underage.... But as soon as I amn't, I'll be all for this act.

Has no one else thought of basing currency on a renewable resource, or are Talossans jus' a special brand of genius?

[Joseph Walkland]

I don't think beer is renewable, you can't drink the same one twice!
(Well you could, but I wouldn't taste as sweeeet......)

[Hooligan]

Happily, it seems that the entire nation loves every word of the draft bill hopping here (am I wrong?). It is thus my intention, and that of my party, to present this proposal to the first Clark of the 36th Cosâ, and hopefully soon thereafter, Mister Fritz's will become officially invested with the power to exchange Talossan currency.

Hooligan

[Sir X. Pol Briga]

With the ongoing discussions about Royalty, perhaps just crowns in talossan "coronâ" and such could be the unit of measure, then the image of the person so crowned could appear on the currency, stamps, or coinage with that name continuing if and when the person holding that position should change.

This would have the additional benefit of being the name of a somewhat overhyped but generally recognizable mexican beer variety that does at least have nice commercial advertisements and support of alternative sporting events.

We might have long and heated disputes about the combination of citrus fruit wedges with malt beverages, but that could be healthy for the development of the currency.

XPB

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

I know my legislative insight is currently newly-minted (newly-brewed?), but shouldn't slang be left to develop on its own, with the Ziu concerning itself with official naming?

[Pelereu d'Ursüm]

Hmm...I'm underage for beer-drinking in America...but have we established an age in Talossa...maybe more like a European system? Also...since I'm underage does that mean I have no ability to refund my louise...I feel jipped and the currency isn't even physical yet!

[Hooligan]

My response to Alexander's point about slang not being legislated is that yes, this is a good point. A review of Talossan laws of the past, though, would show the NNN Act proposed here to be, even with this bit of silliness, among the less silly of the Kingdom's laws. A bit of frivolity is good for the soul (and the nation).

As to Pelereu's complaint, there has indeed been some side-discussion of this point. The Chairman of the Royal Bank & Post would be better qualified to give details, but essentially, even though you cannot drink the beer, you can hold the minted coinage and printed currency, and can exchange it for the monetary equivalent of the beer-value of the currency. You'll be able to buy anything you can legally buy...even if that does not include beer.

As to whether Talossan law does or does not forbid minors (as determined by U.S. law, say) from possessing (and even drinking) alcohol, this is a question for our most expert legal minds, such as Justice Cresti Siervicul. Cresti -- do the incorporated statutes cover this situation?

Hooligan

[Sir C. M. Siervicül]

mha said:

As to whether Talossan law does or does not forbid minors (as determined by U.S. law, say) from possessing (and even drinking) alcohol, this is a question for our most expert legal minds, such as Justice Cresti Siervicul. Cresti -- do the incorporated statutes cover this situation?

They do not. Wisconsin's drinking age provisions are in chapter 125 of the Wisconsin Statutes, which was not incorporated into our civil or criminal code.

Maybe we should consider adding a section to the act saying that louise are not exchangeable for beer wherever the holder of the louise is prohibited from purchasing or receiving alcohol by any law that applies to him or her.

For what it's worth, Wisconsin law doesn't absolutely prohibit minors from drinking (or possessing) alcohol. It doesn't matter how young you are as long as a parent, guardian, or spouse who is over 21 is present and says it's okay. So I guess for King Louis that would be the entire Uppermost Cort and 2/3 of the Ziu.

[Hooligan]

Interesting (about Wisconsin's alcohol minority law)! I agree with the Justice that it would be good to have a law (though I do not think it should be a provision of the NNN Act proposed here) covering alcohol possession and consumption by Talossan minors. I leave drafting such a controlled substance law to other hands. Although the NNN proposes to base the nation's currency on beer, I believe any restrictions on possession of what happens to be the currency base itself is outside the realm of this legislation.

Hooligan

[Sevastáin Casálmac'h]

Would the Bence and Louise be in coins or bills? I looked around and found some custom coin-minting places and the prices are not to bad (around a dollar each for some good nickel-silver coins) but you have to pay $300 and up to get your own custom dies made. If we were to make paper bills than we would probably want to get someone really good to make the artwork, have an offset printer set up (not terribly cheap) to get the best quality possible, and select some good money-like paper. I think we would be the only country in world that actually backs its money with something. For underage people (and those who do not like beer), we could also have some of our reserve in good old-fashioned (possibly homebrewed) root-beer!