Post-War currency

The currency in the Fallout world varies from area to area and even faction to faction.

Pre-War money


Pre-War money is the currency of the former United States and no longer the official currency of the wastes. Although faded, the notes appear to be American dollars.

Bottle caps


Bottle caps are a popular choice of currency in the wasteland, as the technology to manufacture bottle caps and paint the surface has been lost since the Great War, which greatly limits any counterfeiting efforts. Due to use as currency, bottle caps wear out over time and eventually become unusable. For this reason, organizations that recognize or emit caps as currency periodically create new bottle caps, to keep the value of a cap at a stable level. Of course, to prevent devaluating the cap, they also seek out and either disable or secure for themselves printing presses capable of creating new caps.

Their relative scarcity made them a readily available currency for Hub merchants in the 22nd century, although by mid-23rd century, they were replaced by NCR-backed golden dollars. However, in an ironic twist of fate, caps once again became a regularly-used currency when the destruction of NCR's gold reserves by the Brotherhood caused the value of a dollar to fall dramatically.

For similiar reasons, the East Coast merchants also recognize bottle caps as a currency, although who backs them and guarantees their value is unknown.

NCR dollars


The NCR introduced its own money around the turn of the 22nd century and initially it relied on coins minted from gold. By 2241, the economy of NCR dominated the West Coast and coins became universal currency, used by the 3 big powers: New California Republic, Vault City and New Reno. Bottle caps have become worthless.

However, by 2281, the money was no longer backed by gold, after the Brotherhood of Steel destroyed NCR's gold reserves. In order to retain credibility, NCR backed money with water instead. Its form has also changed - instead of minted coins, NCR issued banknotes, similiar to pre-War money. It has also lost a great deal of value.

Mine scrips
The town of Redding uses Morningstar mine scrips and Kokoweef mine scrips as secondary currency, supplementing NCR dollars.

Legion money


Unlike NCR, the Caesar's Legion mints its own currency from silver and gold. Each coin bears the profile of Caesar, with different reverses. The two types are called respectively Legion Denarius (silver) and Legion Aureus (gold).

Exchange rate
The exchange rate (based on the rate when changing money into chips or cashing in chips at a casino) is as follows:

1 bottle cap = 2.5 NCR Dollars

1 Legion Denarius = 4 bottle caps = 10 NCR dollars

1 Legion Aureus = 25 Legion Denarii = 100 bottle caps = 250 NCR dollars

This exchange rate also seems to be used for Caravan bets.

Note that MOST vendors will not use these rates when trading the NCR dollar or the Legion Denarius.

Brotherhood scrips


Brotherhood Scrip is a currency used only by the Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel for trade within the Brotherhood. Brotherhood traders accept only this currency with the exception of some outsider traders that are present in most bases and accept ring pulls.

Ring pulls


Ring pulls are used as currency by people in the vicinity of Chicago. They are pull-tabs from soda cans. Ring pulls can be found all over the settlements in early missions and traders will accept them. There are usually some outsider traders in Brotherhood bases who will accept ring pulls as well.

Waluta