The Starstone is the heart of Absalom, but commerce is its blood. Nowhere does that blood flow more freely than in the Coins. Carts full of goods, busy vendors, and merchants dressed in their finest clothes crowd the district from daybreak until well after dark, and the sights, sounds, and smells of the Coins can be overwhelming to out-of-town visitors. The Grand Bazaar in the center of the district draws shoppers from throughout the Inner Sea region in search of surprising bargains, one-of-a-kind services, and rare commodities. Much of Absalom’s trade and economic policies are discussed over fine meals at the Grand Dance Hall of Kortos or formalized in the tidy offices of the Hall of Commerce. Thousands of eager students learn their trades here, either from the city’s talented craftspeople or from academies such as the mysterious Clockwork Cathedral.

Also notable in the Coins is the huge wealth disparity on display. The most important trading and economic activities in the Inner Sea region—carried out by the wealthiest merchants and lords in the city—take place within blocks of some of Absalom’s most squalid slums.