The Magician's Note, commonly known as "M notes" are universally accepted as currency. M notes are based on something resembling a gold standard- they are backed by the value of the technology that the mages possess. The formula for calculating this is quite complex, but the M notes have remained fairly stable over the years. It has been only recently that they have been depreciating versus other currencies, as the overall technological base of the society increases. There has been some debate as to making M notes and other currencies float on a free market, but this is some years off, and pending the development of an international body to govern it. The M note is the accepted international currency standard. Most nations' citizenry will convert their own bills into M notes before travelling, as it may be hard to get them exchanged when they reach their destination. There are two exceptions, however; the Colonial Republic and The Kingdom of Starport have currencies that are accepted at most moneychangers the world over.
The Colonial Republic uses the dollar, a term from the ancient texts that they felt was linked with the political systems that they preferred [other terms such as pound and denarii were rejected based on the CReater prevalence of dollar mentioned in those same texts], and it is currently floating at a rate of around one dollar for every five M notes. The CR dollar is a semi-floating currency, as its value is primarily based upon a mages review of the overall national situation. Each dollar is theoretically backed by the ability of the nation to one way or another produce a certain measure of value, and for the government to utilize it. Most nations will accept the dollar for exchanges, and it is regarded as a good currency.
Sector 33 uses the ancient Colony 12 credit, though now in paper and coin form. The original credit was an entirely electronic value, and was determined via a very complex system of trading and speculation. The new credit is based on a simplified trading structure, but still so complex that only highly trained money traders can participate in the process. As none of the other currencies are floated, the trading takes place with valuables, land and profitable commerce route times [air routes, for example, get "time slots", where certain carriers get priority of use]. The credit is not widely trusted outside of the sector because of the complex and confounding trading method, but it exchanges at a rate of ten to one with the M note.
The InterColonial Union uses a currency called the Interbill. The Interbill is valued based on the mineral wealth and industrial capacity of the Union. It is rated at an official transfer of six Interbills for one M note, but it is more realistically rated at between ten and fifteen Interbills per. The only place where the official rate is observed is the government currency exchanges in the InterColonial Union. Trying to get a better rate in the Union is a jailable offense; foreigners who do so will be jailed for some time then deported.
The Kingdom of Starport uses coins almost exclusively. Only exceedingly large sums of money are traded using bills, and these must be backed by an equivalent value of gold, jewels, land or technology. They use the gold, silver, bronze and copper coin, with a nickel penny as the smallest denomination. Each coin is a carefully defined weight, and must be of a certain purity. To prevent counterfeiting, the Kingdom employed a mage to design a very difficult to reproduce design for each coin, and to develop a machine to make them rapidly.
The Southern Federation uses M-bills when trading with the northern and western continents. Within their own lands, a series of plastic bills are used. It is unknown what they are named, but they have an image of their current ruler on the front, and a denomination on the back. They are color coded, and each denomination has a different potrait of the leader. As with much of the nation, very little is known of these bills. Very few currency exchange points will accept them, and they are purchased as curiosity and collectible items. This is not a problem, as seldom will a Southern Federation citizen exchange them- M-bills tend to be acquired through sales of technology or supplies.
Smaller nations in the western continent use many different currency systems, and many are of dubious value. Easily counterfeited, they are worthless outside the borders of their small lands, and as such, it is recommended that only small amounts of other currencies be exchanged for them and used up while in the nation itself. In some of the particularly bad cases [like the Zoom Allied Partition and the Principality of Top Quark], more internal trade is done with M bills and CR dollars than the official currency of the land.