Before the civil war, the American states minted many copper coins and the nascent federal government minted few coins. One of these coins was the Continental Dollar first minted in pewter, then copper. Continental Dollars are slightly larger than Eisenhower dollars with a diameter of 41mm. The reverse features a chain of states, each one …
A History of US Currency – Part I
In 1660, the Massachusetts Bay colony began using a paper currency substitute. These promissory notes were not legal tender, but letters of intent to pay legal tender in the same way a cheque is an intention to pay. The people who traded with these official Massachusettes Colony I.O.U.'s were almost breaking the law laid down …
Shell Money to Shell Jewelry
Historical evidence of worldwide use of shells as currency exists on every continent. Although there is debate about the economic use of beads as currency, the use of shell money is undeniable. Shells are part of a commodity based monetary system, wherein the currency has intrinsic value and is not representative of other value. Today, …
4 Ways Money Moves
The story of human migration predates the use of money. Hunter gatherers crossed continents with nothing more than what they could carry. It took thousands of generations, but eventually humans walked across all the land bridges, sailed all the seas and covered the Earth. Shortly after the world was wrapped in humankind, large-scale agriculture usurped …
The Top 3 Questions About Celtic Ring Money
There is a lot of chatter online about Celtic Ring Money. These are the three most common Celtic ring money questions we hear - and the answers! 1.) How old is Celtic ring money? As many as three thousand years ago the Celtic peoples began developing a sophisticated culture, but ring money did not appear …
Continue reading "The Top 3 Questions About Celtic Ring Money"