Cubits are a form of government-regulated currency used throughout the Twelve Colonies in both the Original Series and Re-imagined Series.
In the Original Series[edit]
Cubits were normally seen in coin form. Frequently, viewers have seen cubits played in pyramid games, usually while Starbuck is playing.
In the Re-imagined Series[edit]
The cubit typically comes in two forms: coin and paper (Miniseries).
The paper version comes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 (logically assumed), 500 (Act of Contrition) and even 1000 (Colonial Day). Coin versions of cubits also exist and bear the icon of the colony of origin on at least one of its sides (Black Market).
Currency within refugee fleet led by Galactica became technically worthless as pointed out by Tom Zarek. However, President Roslin's administration did strive to address this, and presidential aide Wallace Gray is instrumental a move to return the Fleet to a currency-based economy to allow commerce in the Fleet to continue so this form of currency is still utilized (Colonial Day).
It is assumed that cubits became the common currency after the Articles of Colonization were passed.
Notes[edit]
The Cubit is an ancient unit of measurement used by various civilizations and mentioned several times in the Christian Bible, most prominently in the Old Testament story of Noah's Ark. The natural cubit is based on the distance between thumb and another finger to the elbow on an average person.