We're in the Money
Museum Box #1
Cattle: Animals are considered the oldest form of currency and still commonly and/or traditionally used in some parts of the world.
Rice: Grains in various forms are another ancient currency. Ancient China, Mesopotamia and even the Roman empire commonly use grain as a currency to barter for other things.
Cowrie Shells: A currency commonly used in Ancient China and Pacific Islands.
Coins: Whether made of precious metals or non-precious metals have been around for nearly 3000 years.
Salt: Still used as money among the nomads of Ethiopia's Danakil Plains. Greek slave traders often bartered salt for slaves, giving rise to the expression that someone was "not worth his salt." Roman legionnaires were paid in salt—salarium, the Latin origin of the word "salary."
Precious Metals: After gold and silver, copper has the longest and most varied history as a monetary metal.
Tea: Tea bricks or compressed teas are whole leaves or finely ground tea compressed into brick form. This was the most commonly used in ancient China prior to the Ming Dynasty as a form of currency, in place of coins or paper money. ... It usually increases as the bricks circulate farther from the tea-producing country.
Wampum: Beads which were and are still used by various Native nations throughout northeastern North America for ornamental or ceremonial use.
Manilla: A form of money, usually made of bronze or copper, which were used in West Africa.
Paper Money: Paper bills were first used by the Chinese, who started carrying folding money during the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). Today most countries around the world have their own currency and/or banknote.
Cattle: Animals are considered the oldest form of currency and still commonly and/or traditionally used in some parts of the world.
Rice: Grains in various forms are another ancient currency. Ancient China, Mesopotamia and even the Roman empire commonly use grain as a currency to barter for other things.
Cowrie Shells: A currency commonly used in Ancient China and Pacific Islands.
Coins: Whether made of precious metals or non-precious metals have been around for nearly 3000 years.
Salt: Still used as money among the nomads of Ethiopia's Danakil Plains. Greek slave traders often bartered salt for slaves, giving rise to the expression that someone was "not worth his salt." Roman legionnaires were paid in salt—salarium, the Latin origin of the word "salary."
Precious Metals: After gold and silver, copper has the longest and most varied history as a monetary metal.
Tea: Tea bricks or compressed teas are whole leaves or finely ground tea compressed into brick form. This was the most commonly used in ancient China prior to the Ming Dynasty as a form of currency, in place of coins or paper money. ... It usually increases as the bricks circulate farther from the tea-producing country.
Wampum: Beads which were and are still used by various Native nations throughout northeastern North America for ornamental or ceremonial use.
Manilla: A form of money, usually made of bronze or copper, which were used in West Africa.
Paper Money: Paper bills were first used by the Chinese, who started carrying folding money during the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). Today most countries around the world have their own currency and/or banknote.