Sorry about the length of this post. I also posted this as a potential addition to the FAQ, but I figure there is no harm putting it here as well. It's not like anyone actually reads FAQs... :) At least they don't seem to at the .com.

It's not perfect, because I don't play vanilla, but it should give a good guide to anyone who wants it. These are the base values of all resources for each faction. This was done using toggle_fow and a merchant with 1 Finance point. Obviously a higher level merchant will earn a great deal more money. Furthermore, the longer a merchant sits on a resource the more he makes. And if he has a monopoly on the resource he makes even more. If he has a trade agreement with the faction owning the resource, it will be worth more. This is just the base value in florins per turn.

The campaign difficulty was medium.

Some of the cities in my mod start out with various guilds. For Venice and Byzantium, I forgot to destroy the merchant guild buildings before testing the values. So they may have a slightly higher value for each resource. I have left this as is so that people can have an idea of the benefits of having these buildings in your capital.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that some provinces have "better" iron or amber than others. Do not assume that all resources of the same kind are equal.

I wasn't completely thorough about this, I didn't check every resource. And I didn't bother to post the results most of the time if the resource was worth less than 40 florins per turn. The idea was to figure out the optimal resources for each faction.

For my own hotseat campaign purposes, I also wanted to find the optimal balanced global economy. Obviously not everyone can sit on gold at Timbuktu or silk at Constantinople. If every player spends most of the game trying to squabble over these resources, then merchants will be useless.

England - capital London

Arguin -
Gold - 79
Ivory - 94

Timbuktu -
Gold - 158
Ivory - 94

Dongola -
Ivory - 94
Slaves - 53

Alexandria -
Sugar - 78
Spices - 47

Jedda -
Spices - 47

Aleppo -
Spices - 94

Antioch -
Cotton - 63
Sugar - 78

Mosul -
Cotton - 63

Baghdad -
Silk - 94

Nicaea -
Silk - 94

Constantinople -
Silk - 94

Zagreb -
Gold - 79

Krakow -
Amber - 52

Vilnius -
Amber - 52

Riga -
Amber - 52

Stockholm -
Amber - 52

Denmark - capital Arhus

Arguin -
Gold - 73
Ivory - 94

Timbuktu -
Gold - 147
Ivory - 94

Dongola -
Ivory - 94

Alexandria -
Sugar - 79
Spices - 47

Jedda -
Spices - 47

Aleppo -
Spices - 94

Antioch -
Cotton - 63
Sugar - 79

Mosul -
Cotton - 63

Baghdad -
Silk - 94

Nicaea -
Silk - 94

Constantinople -
Silk - 94

Zagreb -
Gold - 73

Portugal - capital Lisbon

Arguin -
Gold - 55
Ivory - 94

Timbuktu -
Gold - 110
Ivory - 94

Dongola -
Ivory - 94
Slaves - 56

Alexandria -
Spices - 47

Jedda -
Spices - 47

Aleppo -
Spices - 94

Antioch -
Cotton - 63

Mosul -
Cotton - 63

Baghdad -
Silk - 94

Nicaea -
Silk - 94

Constantinople -
Silk - 94

Zagreb -
Gold - 55

Krakow -
Amber - 94

Vilnius -
Amber - 94

Riga -
Amber - 94

Stockholm -
Amber - 94
Silver - 37

Caffa -
Slaves - 56

Kiev -
Slaves - 56

Halych -
Amber - 47

Novgorod -
Amber - 47

Arhus -
Amber 47
Fish - 39

Oslo -
Fish - 39

Palermo -
Amber - 47

Milan -
Textiles - 63

Venice -
Textiles - 63

Vienna -
Silver - 73
Dyes - 39

Bordeaux -
Wine - 42

Angers -
Wine - 42

Dijon -
Wine - 42

Cagliari -
Silver - 37

France - capital Paris

Arguin -
Gold - 57
Ivory - 81

Timbuktu -
Gold - 113
Ivory - 81

Dongola -
Ivory - 81
Slaves - 51

Alexandria -
Spices - 40
Sugar - 56

Jedda -
Spices - 40

Aleppo -
Spices - 81

Antioch -
Cotton - 54
Sugar - 56

Mosul -
Cotton - 54

Baghdad -
Silk - 81

Nicaea -
Silk - 81

Constantinople -
Silk - 81

Zagreb -
Gold - 57

Krakow -
Amber - 54

Vilnius -
Amber - 54

Riga -
Amber - 54

Stockholm -
Amber - 54

Caffa -
Slaves - 51

Kiev -
Slaves - 51

Halych -
Amber - 27

Vienna -
Silver - 32

HRE - capital Frankfurt

Arguin -
Gold - 45
Ivory - 81

Timbuktu -
Gold - 90
Ivory - 81

Dongola -
Ivory - 81
Slaves - 36

Alexandria -
Spices - 40
Sugar - 66

Jedda -
Spices - 40

Aleppo -
Spices - 81

Antioch -
Cotton - 54
Sugar - 66

Mosul -
Cotton - 54

Baghdad -
Silk - 81

Nicaea -
Silk - 81

Constantinople -
Silk - 81

Zagreb -
Gold - 45

Krakow -
Amber - 34

Vilnius -
Amber - 34

Riga -
Amber - 34

Stockholm -
Amber - 34

Caffa -
Slaves - 36

Kiev -
Slaves - 36

Spain - capital Toledo

Arguin -
Gold - 67
Ivory - 94

Timbuktu -
Gold - 135
Ivory - 94

Dongola -
Ivory - 94
Slaves - 63

Alexandria -
Spices - 47

Jedda -
Spices - 47

Aleppo -
Spices - 94

Antioch -
Cotton - 63

Mosul -
Cotton - 63

Baghdad -
Silk - 94

Nicaea -
Silk - 94

Constantinople -
Silk - 94

Zagreb -
Gold - 67

Krakow -
Amber - 94

Vilnius -
Amber - 94

Riga -
Amber - 94

Stockholm -
Amber - 94
Silver - 33

Caffa -
Slaves - 63

Kiev -
Slaves - 63

Halych -
Amber - 47

Novgorod -
Amber - 47

Arhus -
Amber 47
Fish - 39

Oslo -
Fish - 39

Palermo -
Amber - 47

Milan -
Textiles - 43

Venice -
Textiles - 43

Vienna -
Silver - 65

Cagliari -
Silver - 33

Venice - capital Venice - with Merchant's Guild

Arguin -
Gold - 31
Ivory - 108

Timbuktu -
Gold - 63
Ivory - 108

Dongola -
Ivory - 108
Slaves - 69

Alexandria -
Spices - 54
Sugar - 53

Jedda -
Spices - 54

Aleppo -
Spices - 108

Antioch -
Cotton - 44
Sugar - 53

Mosul -
Cotton - 44

Baghdad -
Silk - 90

Nicaea -
Silk - 90

Constantinople -
Silk - 90

Zagreb -
Gold - 31

Krakow -
Amber - 55

Vilnius -
Amber - 55

Riga -
Amber - 55

Stockholm -
Amber - 55

Caffa -
Slaves - 69

Kiev -
Slaves - 69

Arhus -
Fish - 34

Oslo -
Fish - 34

Sicily - capital Palermo

Arguin -
Gold - 31
Ivory - 81

Timbuktu -
Gold - 62
Ivory - 81

Dongola -
Ivory - 81
Slaves - 54

Alexandria -
Spices - 40

Jedda -
Spices - 40

Aleppo -
Spices - 81

Baghdad -
Silk - 66

Nicaea -
Silk - 66

Constantinople -
Silk - 66

Zagreb -
Gold - 31

Caffa -
Slaves - 54

Kiev -
Slaves - 54

Milan - capital Milan

Arguin -
Gold - 32
Ivory - 81

Timbuktu -
Gold - 65
Ivory - 81

Dongola -
Ivory - 81
Slaves - 53

Alexandria -
Spices - 40
Sugar - 44

Jedda -
Spices - 40

Aleppo -
Spices - 81

Antioch -
Cotton - 36
Sugar - 44

Mosul -
Cotton - 36

Baghdad -
Silk - 79

Nicaea -
Silk - 79

Constantinople -
Silk - 79

Zagreb -
Gold - 32

Krakow -
Amber - 48

Vilnius -
Amber - 48

Riga -
Amber - 48

Stockholm -
Amber - 48

Caffa -
Slaves - 53

Kiev -
Slaves - 53

Scotland - capital Edinburgh

Arguin -
Gold - 79
Ivory - 94

Timbuktu -
Gold - 158
Ivory - 94

Dongola -
Ivory - 94
Slaves - 52

Alexandria -
Sugar - 79
Spices - 47

Jedda -
Spices - 47

Aleppo -
Spices - 94

Antioch -
Cotton - 63
Sugar - 79

Mosul -
Cotton - 63

Baghdad -
Silk - 94

Nicaea -
Silk - 94

Constantinople -
Silk - 94

Zagreb -
Gold - 79

Krakow -
Amber - 46

Vilnius -
Amber - 46

Riga -
Amber - 46

Stockholm -
Amber - 46

Cordoba -
Sugar - 39

Cairo -
Sugar - 39

Bordeaux -
Wine - 39

Angers -
Wine - 39

Dijon -
Wine - 39

Palermo -
Sugar - 39

Byzantium - capital Constantinople. Merchant's Guild at Nicaea.

Arguin -
Gold - 42
Ivory - 94

Timbuktu -
Gold - 85
Ivory - 94

Dongola -
Ivory - 94
Slaves - 25

Alexandria -
Spices - 29
Sugar - 41

Jedda -
Spices - 29

Aleppo -
Spices - 59

Antioch -
Cotton - 37
Sugar - 41

Mosul -
Cotton - 37

Zagreb -
Gold - 42
Iron - 44

Vienna -
Silver - 44

Krakow -
Amber - 63

Vilnius -
Amber - 63

Riga -
Amber - 63

Stockholm -
Amber - 63

Caffa -
Slaves - 25

Kiev -
Slaves - 25

Arhus -
Amber - 32
Fish - 39

Oslo -
Fish - 39

Metz -
Iron - 44

Antwerp -
Textiles - 48

London -
Tin - 39

Marrakesh -
Iron - 44

Toledo -
Iron - 44

Lisbon -
Tin - 39

Russia - capital Novgorod

Arguin -
Gold - 79
Ivory - 94

Timbuktu -
Gold - 158
Ivory - 94

Dongola -
Ivory - 94

Cairo -
Sugar - 39

Alexandria -
Sugar - 79
Spices - 47

Jedda -
Spices - 47

Aleppo -
Spices - 94

Antioch -
Cotton - 63
Sugar - 79

Mosul -
Cotton - 63

Baghdad -
Silk - 94

Nicaea -
Silk - 94

Constantinople -
Silk - 94

Zagreb -
Gold - 79

Cordoba -
Sugar - 39

Cairo -
Sugar - 39

Bordeaux -
Wine - 59

Angers -
Wine - 59

Dijon -
Wine - 59

Palermo -
Sugar - 39

Milan -
Textiles - 63

Venice -
Textiles - 63

Naples -
Wool - 47

Antwerp -
Textiles - 63

Nottingham -
Wool - 47

Lisbon -
Tin - 38

London -
Tin - 38

Florence -
Marble - 39

Genoa -
Marble - 39

Pamplona -
Marble - 39

Cyprus -
Marble - 39

Moors - capital Cordoba

Arguin -
Gold - 68
Ivory - 90

Timbuktu -
Gold - 136
Ivory - 90

Dongola -
Ivory - 90
Slaves - 55

Alexandria -
Spices - 47

Jedda -
Spices - 47

Aleppo -
Spices - 94

Antioch -
Cotton - 63

Mosul -
Cotton - 63

Baghdad -
Silk - 94

Nicaea -
Silk - 94

Constantinople -
Silk - 94

Zagreb -
Gold - 68

Krakow -
Amber - 94

Vilnius -
Amber - 94

Riga -
Amber - 94

Stockholm -
Amber - 94
Silver - 36

Caffa -
Slaves - 55

Kiev -
Slaves - 55

Halych -
Amber - 47

Novgorod -
Amber - 47

Arhus -
Amber 47
Fish - 39

Oslo -
Fish - 39

Palermo -
Amber - 47

Milan -
Textiles - 52

Venice -
Textiles - 52

Vienna -
Silver - 71
Dyes - 31

Bordeaux -
Wine - 38

Angers -
Wine - 38

Dijon -
Wine - 38

Cagliari -
Silver - 36

Antwerp -
Textiles - 52

Dublin -
Silver - 36

Turks - capital Iconium

Arguin -
Gold - 63
Ivory - 87

Timbuktu -
Gold - 127
Ivory - 87

Dongola -
Ivory - 87
Slaves - 33

Zagreb -
Gold - 63
Iron - 63

Vienna -
Silver - 36

Krakow -
Amber - 93

Vilnius -
Amber - 93

Riga -
Amber - 93

Stockholm -
Amber - 63

Halych -
Amber - 46

Novgorod -
Amber - 46

Caffa -
Slaves - 33

Kiev -
Slaves - 33

Arhus -
Amber - 46
Fish - 39

Oslo -
Fish - 39

Metz -
Iron - 63

London -
Tin - 47

Marrakesh -
Iron - 63

Toledo -
Iron - 63

Lisbon -
Tin - 47

Egypt - capital Cairo. Merchants Guild at Alexandria.

Arguin -
Gold - 79
Ivory - 34

Timbuktu -
Gold - 158
Ivory - 34

Dongola -
Ivory - 34
Slaves - 23

Baghdad -
Silk - 67

Nicaea -
Silk - 67

Constantinople -
Silk - 67

Trebizond -
Silver - 42

Zagreb -
Gold - 79
Iron - 71

Vienna -
Silver - 84

Hamburg -
Silver - 42

Krakow -
Amber - 94
Silver - 42

Vilnius -
Amber - 94

Riga -
Amber - 94

Stockholm -
Amber - 94
Silver - 42

Caffa -
Slaves - 23

Kiev -
Slaves - 23

Halych -
Amber - 47

Novgorod -
Amber - 47

Arhus -
Amber - 47
Fish - 39

Oslo -
Fish - 39

Cagliari -
Silver - 42

Metz -
Iron - 71

London -
Tin - 47

Marrakesh -
Iron - 71

Toledo -
Iron - 71

Lisbon -
Tin - 47

Palermo -
Amber - 47

Poland - capital Krakow

Arguin -
Gold - 32
Ivory - 81

Timbuktu -
Gold - 63
Ivory - 81

Dongola -
Ivory - 81

Cairo -
Sugar - 32

Alexandria -
Sugar - 64
Spices - 40

Jedda -
Spices - 40

Aleppo -
Spices - 81

Antioch -
Cotton - 51
Sugar - 64

Mosul -
Cotton - 51

Baghdad -
Silk - 58

Nicaea -
Silk - 58

Constantinople -
Silk - 58

Zagreb -
Gold - 32

Cordoba -
Sugar - 32

Cairo -
Sugar - 32

Palermo -
Sugar - 32

Hungary - capital Budapest

Arguin -
Gold - 20
Ivory - 81

Timbuktu -
Gold - 41
Ivory - 81

Dongola -
Ivory - 81
Slaves - 33

Alexandria -
Sugar - 51
Spices - 40

Jedda -
Spices - 40

Aleppo -
Spices - 81

Antioch -
Cotton - 41
Sugar - 51

Mosul -
Cotton - 41

Baghdad -
Silk - 51

Nicaea -
Silk - 51

Constantinople -
Silk - 51

Zagreb -
Gold - 20