The Crescent

The Cities of Mercy and Wrath accept standard gold, silver, platinum etc. but also employ a unique token shared between them: the Crescent. The Crescent is not equivalent to a gold exchange, but instead is a social currency that represents amount of time lived in the city, with each Crescent equalling one year. These are not traded, but displayed as a sort of medal.
Some examples of uses for Crescents include:

• Proof of residence in the city used for renting new buildings

• Evidence of trustworthiness in business deals and reviews ("a 7-Crescent establishment")

• Social currency for getting into exclusive clubs or parties ("10-Crescent and up")

Crescents are the same between both cities, so a person may move between cities or work in one while living in the other and still keep their accredited amount. There are entire city offices dedicated to documenting, verifying, and distributing the Crescents, including auditors who ensure people are not misrepresenting their time in the cities.

Medal of Honor

Each Crescent weighs approximately 1 pound and is a coin approximately 4 inches across, made of a special alloy of platinum and gold. These are available for people to pick up the day after their anniversary eligibility, with proof of identity strictly verified to ensure no fraud.
Typically, Crescents are displayed in a shadowbox on a wall or mantle in a place of honor and high visibility. Individuals who have multiple businesses can request a certificate verifying their Crescent status so that they can display "proof" in multiple locations, with their actual Crescents usually kept safely in their home or in their primary office.

Earn Your Time

Even children are able to earn Crescents, to a degree. Those born in the city can earn a special type of Crescent called the Copper Crescent which is aptly made of copper to delinate from the normal credit. These are earned by performing community service acts, getting good grades in school etc. and are eligible from the rough equivalent of 10-years-old-in-human-years to adulthood for the person.
These credits may not be valuable to the average person in the middle of their lifespan. But for young adults making their way in the Cities, these are invaluable for proving your reputation and trustworthiness. For example, renting an apartment or getting a business contract may be made easier by someone having earned several Copper Crescents (especially in conjunction with a few standard ones too).

Good Behavior

There are rare cases where one can lose their Crescents, such as if they commit a crime grievous enough to be sent to the Forgotten Gaol. (Typically things that land someone in The Tryst is not enough, though one does not earn Crescents if living in the Tryst during your service.)
In addition, moving away does not cause the Crescents one accumulated to deprecate. That said, Crescents do have a year stamped into them and those who have been away for a sizeable amount of time may find their Crescents are slightly less shiny to their neighbors than those who earned one more recently.

Significance

Theft or counterfeit of a Crescent is punishable by the worst work details in The Tryst or even death by hanging; those labeled as one who was deceitful about their Crescent count are seen as highly untrusthworthy in everything they do, and word travels fast about that type of gossip in particular.

Item type

Currency & Deeds

Current Location

Cities of Mercy and Wrath

Rarity

Crescents are considered pretty rare, considering each one equates to a year of someone's life living/working in one of the Cities.

Dimensions

3 inch diameter

Raw materials & Components

Standard Crescents are made of a mixture of gold and silver (similar to the electrum that makes up Ohx Electrum but less valuable and certainly not arcanically charged). Copper Crescents are, aptly, made of copper.