To me there are two concepts here - the cash economy and the societal to and fro-ing that happens when most trading is the result of barter.
Wealth represents the fluid nature of your economic circumstances when you are part of a recognised community and so encompasses the ability to get stuff off people and to exercise influence.
If a character was to cut himself off from his community and liquidate all his wealth into cash then he would not be able to use wealth to influence people. The ability would be struck from his character sheet and he could 'buy' things.
We are all used to the second economy and instinctively understand it, even if we don't use it effectively! The first is more difficult and much harder for a game to model.
The second model is easy - you get four cows your cash goes up four cows. The first model requires a model that indicates how it changes your social status and ability to influence trades. It is not a simple matter of how much you can buy but how it changes your social status and an idea of how much you would have if you _did_ immediately liquidate all your possessions.
I've just realised I have no answers. Hopefully it might stimulate someone to come up with a clever system that will be an answer then...
Stephen
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