Guineas are the English gold currency of Windrose, used for high-end items, ship upgrades, and late-game faction Provisioner purchases. They are a separate higher-end currency from Piastres (Spanish silver), and are earned primarily from buried treasure rewards and major world quest rewards rather than everyday transactions. The Smugglers of Port Royal operate the only Piastre-to-Guinea exchange in the game, but the rate favors the Smugglers.
Currency Comparison
Earning Guineas
The most reliable Guinea sources, ranked by income per hour:
Buried treasure: Following Alexandre Exquemelin's seven journal notes and Blackbeard's Treasure Maps yields large Guinea payouts plus Silver and Gold Ingots
Major world quests: Late-game faction quests at Rank 2-3 reputation pay Guineas instead of Piastres for the largest rewards
Boss kill rewards: Defeating named bosses (Thomas Richards, Israel Hands, High Priestess) drops Guineas as part of their loot table
Smuggler exchange: Convert Piastres to Guineas at the Smuggler base when needed; the rate favors the Smugglers so this is best for emergencies only
Spending Guineas
Strategy
Save Guineas for tier-gated late-game Provisioner inventory at Rank 2-3 reputation
Do not convert Piastres to Guineas through the Smugglers daily; the cumulative loss is significant
Buried treasure is the most consistent Guinea source; prioritize Exquemelin's journal trail and Blackbeard's Treasure Maps
Some boss loot tables include Guineas; clearing repeatable boss encounters is a passive Guinea grind
Historical Reference
The historical guinea was an English gold coin minted from 1663 to 1814, named after the Guinea region of West Africa where much of the gold was sourced. Guineas were prestige currency: while Spanish silver pieces of eight (piastres) were the everyday Caribbean currency, English guineas were preferred for large transactions, dowries, and high-status purchases. Windrose preserves this historical distinction: Piastres are the workaday silver, Guineas are the premium gold.
See Also
Piastres - the everyday silver currency
Smugglers of Port Royal - the only currency exchange operator
Buried Treasure - the most reliable Guinea source
Trading and Merchants - Tortuga's trader system
Bounty Agents - faction reputation NPCs (rep unlocks Guinea-priced items)