History Main / GlobalCurrencyException

* ''Videogame/{{Warframe}}'' has Baro Ki'Teer, a weekly merchant with an ever-changing supply of mostly unique items (including upgraded versions of existing mods) that he sells for a combination of regular credits and Ducats, which can be exchanged for Prime parts and blueprints.

* In ''VideoGame/DiabloIII Reaper of Souls'' a gambling system was introduced that has a high chance of yielding legendaries. Since most players have millions of gold by the time they start gambling the trader instead demands Blood Shards, a special currency that can only be gathered in small amounts from end-game activities on high difficulty levels.

* Common in older [=MMORPGs=] and proto-[=MMORPGs=] such as the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' online scene. In ''[[VideoGame/{{Diablo}} Diablo II]]'', the value of gold coins quickly reached the MoneyForNothing stage, so instead, players began using a very valuable ring, the Stone of Jordan as a standard currency for player-to-player interactions; it could easily be farmed through gaming the ingame casino, at least until Blizzard caught on and whacked it with a nerfbat, but it was a useful and compact item for player trading.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' has bugs - which are needed to upgrade potions, and treasures - which are needed to upgrade equipment.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'', Black Market upgrades that increase how much ammo you can hold as well as inventory space can only be purchased using Eridium, which is quite a bit rarer than money. In the words of the Black Market vendor, "Cash is for clowns!".

** ''VideoGame/ScarletAndViolet'' has League Points or LP, which is used to pay for [=TMs=] alongside new materials, and has a 1:1 conversion rate with the usual Pokédollars/Yen. It can also be obtained from interacting with Tera Raid dens, with the amount given depending on the rating of the Den.

** Some NPC characters also ask for Heart Scales to teach your Pokémon moves they knew in the past, but forgot. In [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue FireRed and LeafGreen]], since Heart Scales and the Pokémon (Luvdisc) that carries them do not appear[[note]]There is one heart scale in [=FireRed=] and [=LeafGreen=]. You need to use the Itemfinder outside of one of the caves with the Unown on Seven Island. It's worthless.[[/note]], the Tutors ask for Mushrooms instead.

** [[BanditTown Rymek]]'s merchants deal solely in gold ingots, which are dropped from nearby Dead Prospectors. Additionally, a converter merchant at the bank will swap emeralds for gold and vice versa.

* In ''VideoGame/LittleBigAdventure 2'', once the player reaches Zeelich, they will find out all the money acquired on Twinsen ("Kashes") is worthless, since the Zeelichians use their own coin ("Zlitos"). Afterwards, the player will encounter a ferryman who will only accept ''gems'' as currency.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' has its GoldSaucer area, where normal gil doesn't work, and you need not one, but ''two'' kinds of additional cash -- GP from finishing minigames (or by buying them from an {{NPC}} who is rarely present), and BP, which you get for battling in a MonsterArena.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', the points you accumulate in the Chocobo Hot and Cold minigame can be exchanged for prizes.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' has the city of Archades, where gil does work for the things you normally do with gil, but getting to different parts of the city requires a totally different, non-monetary currency called Chops, which you can only get by doing good deeds in a sidequest.

* ''VIdeoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork/Rockman.EXE'' has a separate set of currency called Bugfrags. They are pieces of junk data that can be given to vendors in exchange for some [[CollectionSidequest rare battlechips]] (of [[AwesomeButImpractical varying]] [[GameBreaker usefulness]]) or fed to machines that [[RandomlyDrops randomly spit out a battlechip]]. Some of the battlechips from the vendors are [[GottaCatchThemAll usually not obtainable anywhere else]], and are thus required for OneHundredPercentCompletion in most EXE games.
* Gem traders are a tradition in ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei Megaten]]'' games.
** ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' smacks you with this perhaps a quarter of the way into the game, if that. [[spoiler:Then again, after a [[ApocalypseHow Class 1]] [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt nuclear holocaust]], it isn't like there's any government backing the yen you collected. The game does at least have an NPC who trades a fraction of your yen into macca, though.]]
** In ''VideoGame/Persona3'', the proprietor of the Shinshoudo Antiques shop only takes gemstones that are [[RandomlyDrops dropped by certain Shadows in combat]] for payment. Since she provides items that boost your Persona's power in exchange, it can be assumed that she somehow "harvests" some sort of benefit from them to make the power-ups. She also sells other items that may be beneficial in combat or in leveling up your [[RelationshipValues Social Links]] as well.
* This is the actual message received when trying to use your money where it doesn't work in ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryI''. Every ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'' game except the last two ones involves your character having to find a money changer to change his money into the local currency.
* Casinos in ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' games tend to run on tokens. They can be bought using the regular currency, but tend to be quite expensive. This is so that to purchase the often quite powerful weapons and armor available as casino prizes, you have to first actually win at the casino games. And the more money you're likely to have at the point that you reach the casino, the more expensive the tokens tend to be. A particularly egregious example of this in Chapter 3 of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'', where by the end of the chapter Torneko can gather truly vast amounts of gold from his shop with minimal effort, gold that [[BagOfSpilling cannot be carried forward into later chapters]]. Savvy players will note that casino tokens did carry over from Chapter 2 and convert the excess gold into tokens, but will find that the exchange rate is 20 times worse than it was in the previous chapter.
** Mini medals can be considered a form of this. They can't be bought, however; they can only be found. Most main games have a limited number of Mini Medals. How they're "cashed in" for the loot depends on the game, but you always cash them in with the Medal King.
* There are several different kinds of currency in the SNES RPG ''VideoGame/SecretOfEvermore'', ranging between talons, dubloons and credits, depending where in time you're located. Of course, each respective time has convenient currency trading spots, allowing the hero to trade his futuristic credits in for prehistoric talons at the local caveman trading post.
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', some shopkeepers sell ItemCrafting materials for "grade", an abstract point score that can increase or decrease based on how well you fight battles. It is also used to buy NewGamePlus bonuses, where it makes a lot more sense.
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfEternia'', there's a hidden town that you have to search the sea floor in a submarine just to get to, which nonetheless is somehow a popular resort town for the whole world. Their currency can be converted at exorbitant prices, and then used in slot machines to actually get enough to put in an auction for a ''chance'' at winning a nice item which may or may not actually be up for auction when you finally get enough. Most players don't bother, since you'd have to LevelGrind a long time before you ran out of better uses for your gald.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'', Black Market upgrades that increase how much ammo you can hold as well as inventory space can only be purchased using Eridium, which is quite a bit rarer than money. In the words of the Black Market vendor, "Cash is for clowns!".
** From the DLC we get introduced to other forms of currency, Seraph Crystals and Torgue Tokens which are only good at particular vendors who accept nothing else. The Seraph vendor doesn't even let you look at his wares unless you've got some crystals on you!
* The Arena ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' rewards the party for their victories with copper, silver, and gold arena credits, and only accepts said credits at their rewards kiosk.
* In ''Videogame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth'', the player cannot use American money in Canada. Fortunately, you can either go to a bank to exchange money or simply sell items in Canadian vendors to get Canadian money.
* In ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' each civilization has its own currency and foreign currencies are only worth [[GoldSilverBronzeStandard the metals they are constitued of]].

* In ''VideoGame/DiabloIII Reaper of Souls'' a gambling system was introduced that has a high chance of yielding legendaries. Since most players have millions of gold by the time they start gambling the trader instead demands Blood Shards, a special currency that can only be gathered in small amounts from end-game activities on high difficulty levels.
* One NPC in ''VideoGame/{{Dubloon}}'' is eager to sell you his goods, except he only accepts Farquaads. After beating the final boss and returning you will find an exchange service which will eagerly give you the necessary 1 million Farquaads...[[RidiculousExchangeRates for 1 dubloon]]. The game doesn't even ask for confirmation.
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' has the coin-tossing minigame in Tolbi fountain (and Lemuria fountain in the sequel) where throwing coins gets you coins, but tossing Lucky Medals gets you unique items (and a summon in the sequel).
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfInnocence'' has the Grades. Obtained by winning battles and completing missions issued by the Guilds located in each town, those are used to buy the ultimate equipment for your character as well as items that allow you to carry your items, weapons, armors, recipes, etc. to a NewGamePlus.
* A late-game shop in ''VideoGame/WildArms4'' uses your party members' ''levels'' to [[ItemCrafting create]] rare items, including [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sheriff Stars]].

** Also, Mr. Store only trades items for Mr. Accessories, which are given to players in return for a donation of real money ($10 each). In practice this is less of an example than some of the others, as Mr. Accessories are ''very'' tradeable, so with enough [[GlobalCurrency Meat]] you can buy one from another player. However, the market price for them tends to be roughly a month's worth of dedicated meat farming.
** Also also, Big Brother in the undersea area only accepts sand dollars.
** Also also also, the hobos in the marketplace in Hobopolis only accept hobo nickels (again, untradeable between players).
** Also also also also, for the 2009 Crimbo season (Crimbo being the Kingdom's Christmas equivalent), a currency called Crimbux was introduced for use in Crimbo Town. In 2010 a similar pattern occurred with "CRIMBCO scrip". In 2011, the pattern happened again with candy credits.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ryzom}}'' has the Civilization and Faction vendors, who sell some cool stuff...but you earn points to pay them with by doing delivery quests and [=PvP=], respectively.

** Mos Le'Harmless (a pirate island) uses pieces of eight, and Port Phasmatys (inhabited by ghosts) uses ectotokens (pieces of paper smeared with ectoplasm).

* ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' has karma vendors scattered all across the world. The currency of karma is only accumulated through events, or certain untradable items. The items acquired through karma vendors also cannot be sold or traded to other players.
** There is also a vendor by the mystic forge that sells certain items for skill points.
* ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' has this in spades. Each planet has its own commendations which can be used to purchase equipment and upgrades from specific vendors. There's also commendations for several special guilds, the reputations, space fights, and Black Holes commendations which are for team missions.
** The expansion folded all planetary commendations into one, which allowed them to be actually useful, instead of only being tradeable for equipment that was below your level when you had finally enough commendations to buy it. With the level-cap moving up to 55, they also introduced new commendations for the eldergame, which are basically (except for the very minuscule chances of random drops from bosses) the only way to get high-level gear. At this point, the only use for credits is for trade among players and buying your character's [[MoneySink Skills]].
* Everquest II uses a fairly large variety of specialized currencies, mostly for world and seasonal events, with merchants who only exist during the event to take these currencies. Examples include some currencies that are also useful as tradeskill components like candy corn during Nights of the Dead or Shiny Tinkerfest Cogs, and some of the currencies are tradeable while others are account-locked.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' has so many different Global Currency Exceptions that they needed to add a "Currencies" tab to the Status window just so players could keep track of them all. ''Then they had to split it into two tabs because the list was so long. '''[[Main/UpToEleven Then they added more.]]'''''
** Its sibling game, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', also does this. Notably, some of the endgame gears are only available for purchase with Allagan tomestones (or in the case of non-combat gears, through colored scrips). Then there are the Grand Company seals, ventures, Gold Saucer points, plus the Allied and Centurio Seals. Furthermore, each beast tribes also has their own currencies exclusive for each of them.
* ''Videogame/{{Warframe}}'' has Baro Ki'Teer, a weekly merchant with an ever-changing supply of mostly unique items (including upgraded versions of existing mods) that he sells for a combination of regular credits and Ducats, which can be exchanged for Prime parts and blueprints.
* In ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2'', the Casino Area only deals in Casino Coins, which can be obtained through exchanging Casino Coin Passes that are distributed once per day or given as prizes through certain Client Orders or finishing a Recommended Quest (occasionally). Casino Coins are then used in either the minigames that can give you more CC, or the Casino Coin Shop, which sells neat items like untradeable Costumes and Camos, Room Items, and items that can be bought once weekly such as Rare Enemy Triggers or Lambda Grinders.
** The Challenge Miles Shop only accepts Challenge Miles, which are a reward for completing Challenge Quest. While Challenge Quest is definitely not beginner-friendly, the prizes you can acquire with CM include Photon Boosters, which are used to unlock Hidden Potentials, rare Units, or {{Infinity Minus One Sword}}s.
** The Treasure Shop accepts two currencies, but with different pools for each. The Meseta Shop takes the local GlobalCurrency, and sells neat stuff for [[CrackIsCheaper utterly exorbitant and disproportionately high prices.]] The Star Gem Shop, conversely, only takes Star Gems, a rare "premium" currency that can be acquired through a variety of methods that are too long to list, or [[BribingYourWayToVictory purchased with real money.]] This Shop sells the rare Tribooster +100%, as well as an item known as Quest Triggers, which can be expended to start a Trigger Quest, which is a variant of an Emergency Quest that can be started at will with the correct Trigger.
* ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'': Energy credits are mostly only used to trade between players in the endgame, as you can pretty much keep your ship and crew in up-to-date equipment with random drops while leveling without ever visiting a store. In contrast, Refined Dilithium can be traded between players on an in-game currency exchange for Zen, the currency used for {{microtransactions}}, and is heavily involved in buying and crafting endgame equipment. You will also generally need Reputation Marks, each rep having its own type. Lobi Crystals are also used at one specific store and mostly only obtainable by opening lockboxes with keys bought using {{microtransactions}}. Finally, there's also Gold-Pressed Latinum, which you get by [[BettingMiniGame gambling EC at dabo tables]]; it's really only useful for buying a few cosmetic items.

* Slim Cognito appears in two places in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando'' and accepts a different non-standard currency at each one: he sells weapon mods for Platinum Bolts and starship mods for Raritanium. (Funnily enough, he reappears in ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal Up Your Arsenal]]'', where he accepts regular Bolts.)
** ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 The first game]]'' had this too, where Gold Bolts were needed to buy upgrades for some weapons along with regular currency.
** In ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Tools of Destruction]]'', Device vendors charge Raritanium (which is otherwise used to make weapon upgrades) instead of Bolts. No explanation is given.
* In the Facebook game ''VideoGame/MafiaWars'', profits earned in different cities are tracked separately, with virtually no opportunity to exchange between the various cities' currencies. Even Vegas and New York use different currencies, justified in-game by the former using casino chips rather than dollars.
* ''Website/{{Neopets}}'': You need to use Dubloons instead of Neopoints on Krawk Island.
* The browser-based web game [=PsyPets=] has a hidden "Mysterious Shop," which sells several rare items. In a ShoutOut to ''The Legend Of Zelda,'' the only currency it accepts is...Rupees. Unfortunately (quite unlike ''Zelda''), Rupees can be hard to get, since the easiest way to get them is to build a Wishing Well and throw normal money into it. You have [[LuckBasedMission a chance]] of finding a fairy who will give you Rupees, among other things. At least she gives you a choice.
* In Maxis' ''VideoGame/SimAnt'', you can use the same cheat code that the other games in the series use to give yourself $10,000...but since you're an ant, you can't spend it on anything.
* ''VideoGame/Rage2011'' usually uses generic dollars for currency, but racing certificates are required for purchasing vehicle parts and paint jobs. The only way to earn these are through completing races or destroying bandit cars for Sally/Brick, but they only give 1 to 2 certificate per car destroyed.

* ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight'' has several events where you can trade stuff for other resources than the usual scrap, such 6 units of fuel for 1 drone part (a unit of fuel and a drone part normally cost respectively 3 and 8 pieces of scrap).
* ''VideoGame/AvengersAcademy'' has special currency for every special event in order to keep the decorations and characters obtainable there separate from the mainline characters.

* In ''VideoGame/TheSims1'' the normal currency is Simoleons, but if you want to buy anything in Magic Town you need Magicoins. You can't simply "buy" Magicoins with your Simoleons, either; you have to earn them separately by performing magic tasks.
* ''VideoGame/DiscoZoo'': Moon and Mars rescue missions require Space Coins instead of regular coins, earned by sending rescued animals to space zoos.

->''"Coins?! No one uses COINS anymore, you peasants! I SPIT on your coins!"''
-->-- '''Mimi''', ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario''

* ''VideoGame/{{RAGE}}'' usually uses generic dollars for currency, but racing certificates are required for purchasing vehicle parts and paint jobs. The only way to earn these are through completing races or destroying bandit cars for Sally/Brick, but they only give 1 to 2 certificate per car destroyed.

* In ''VideoGame/Persona3'', the proprietor of the Shinshoudo Antiques shop only takes gemstones that are [[RandomlyDrops dropped by certain Shadows in combat]] for payment. Since she provides items that boost your Persona's power in exchange, it can be assumed that she somehow "harvests" some sort of benefit from them to make the power-ups. She also sells other items that may be beneficial in combat or in leveling up your [[RelationshipValues Social Links]] as well.
** Gem traders are a tradition in ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei Megaten]]'' games.

* After you exit the Diamond Realm in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI'', your Yen is converted to a measly few Macca.

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' and ''[[VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon Ultra Sun and Moon]]'', the Festival Plaza uses Festival Coins, and the Poké Pelago uses Poké Beans.Bros

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', the Festival Plaza uses Festival Coins, and the Poké Pelago uses Poké Beans.Bros
** ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' has Watts, which is obtained mainly from Pokemon Dens, and coveted by merchants in the Wild Area.

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', the Festival Plaza uses Festival Coins, and the Poké Pelago uses Poké Beans.
* Franchise/{{Mario}}:

** ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'': When everyone heads off to the Beanbean Kingdom, Toadsworth gives you 100 coins. However, when the brothers reach Stardust Fields, a local monster informs them that the exchange rate means they only have the equivalent of 10 beanbean coins (regardless of the amount of coins that they have on hand). This Mushroom-to-Beanbean coin conversion only comes up once more: a certain character bets you 99,999,999,999,999 Mushroom Coins he'll win at something only for it to be revealed that Beanbean Coins are worth 1,010,101,010,101 times as much as Mushroom Coins, meaning you only get 99 coins for winning, being very blatantly higher than before.

** In the Dust Mine, the Hero can trade the Dust they dig up in the mines for a selection of items that changes each day.

* Common in older [=MMORPGs=] and proto-[=MMORPGs=] such as the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' online scene. In ''[[VideoGame/{{Diablo}} Diablo II]]'', the value of gold coins quickly reached the MoneyForNothing stage, so instead, players began using a very valuable ring, the Stone of Jordan (or [[FanNickname SoJ]]) as a standard currency for player-to-player interactions; it could easily be farmed through gaming the ingame casino, at least until Blizzard caught on and whacked it with a nerfbat, but it was a useful and compact item for player trading.