Wow, a lot of good ideas posted.
I like the ideas of having an upkeep on Magic items, which would help devaluate them and get coin into the system. If this isn't done alliance wide, I'm certain that some chapters may start putting it on as a flaw to some items. NJ's celestial circle of power eats 5 silver when it ID's magic items; this is one way we get back money, but I think the upkeep would be much better. (Plus getting a 1 time ever cure light wounds item off a creature that cost you 5 silver is a bit steep, while a 30 AA is a steal.)
We should not allow PCs to make 'change' during logistics. By all means if they want to trade in 10 coppers for a silver, logistics would be stupid not to accept it - but the reverse costs logistics about $1.50. If PCs know there is no change, they can IG make sure they have a few coppers and silvers.
Another step down-powering magic items could also be having them functions only once per weekend. I think Production skills functioning once per weekend would also be helpful (maybe get 10 pp per craftsman - workshop gives you 50% more). Like high magic, you don't have to spend it all if your not sure, but you certainly can if you just want to get it out of the way. Our system also becomes more unified as all production/MI/formal all work the same, and the only skills that renew at the end of the day are the standard PC skills.
I just think in general we put out way too much treasure (especially as we get higher level). At the symposium, we discussed reworking the treasure policy, and I hope that we'll see a lot more PC created items and less production/MI's come out of the treasure policy.
I'm not a fan of paying for max outs. I rather have an IG way to bring the coin back. I like the idea that a person who roleplays all weekend in the tavern gets the same build as someone who is on the front lines of every battle. In NJ I mainly put out 'puzzle plot'. PCs love it, but it's hard to make the treasure on them always make sense (at least in battle your collecting spoils of war, even if there is no reason why the fighter took a regen scroll with him instead of leaving safely at home behind a ward.)