The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-01-04
CURIOSITIES OF CURRENCY.


The bank officer who saw a compensat-
ing advantage from the passage of the
silver dollar bill because payments of silver
would be so bulky as 10 assist in checking
runs, and in cases of large amount would
render wheelbarrow necessary. probably
based his remarks upon know ledge Of the
experience of the Swedish merchants of
the last century. During that period cop
per was the chief medium of exchange in
Sweden, and business men who went out
to collect their bills carried wheelbarrows
10 contain the copper dalcrs. The incon-
venIence of such a medium kept down
trade-a result which the Spartans OF old
sought to obt ain 10y the introduction of
iron money. Cattle were the medium of
exchange in still earlier times, Homer
valuing the armor of his heroes at SO many
head of cattle. Indeed, It is now generally
conceded that our word 'pecuniary is
derived from the Latin pecus. cattle. Sir
II. :. Maine, in his interesting Early
History Of Institutions shows that being
counted by the mead, the kline were called
cIpitIi,, whence capital "chattel, y
aud catile'' skins were early used as
currency, and leather money is said to have
been circulated in Russia as late rs the
reign of Peter the Great. Among the few
facts that are left us about the laws and
usages of Carthage is the employment of
leather currency. Maize formerly crcu-
lated in Mexico; and il Norway corn is
even now deposited in banks, and lent and
borrowed. As our Indians use wampum,
the natives of the East Indies, or portion
of them, have resorted to cowry shells as
small money, and 4 considerable export of
them goes on from the Maldive and Lacca-
dive islands. The Fljians circulate whales
teeth-red teeth expressing the higher de-
nomination. The introduction of Amer-
can gold into Europe displaced silver as
the common measure of value-a position
it held in Queen Elizabeth's reign. The
French use the word aren't silver as a
comprehensive term for money, \ circum-
stance illustrating tho position the metal
once held. \ French sardHt is of the
opinion that III the very earliest ages stone
implements were used as the circulating
medium between tribes. lie bases his
theory on the circumstance that some of
The implements are made of materials not
To be found i'll the region discovered. In
our own colonial period, bullets and to-
bacco passed as currency, and, during the
civil war, hotel tickets. car tickets and even
shos irons were accepted as such. Olive
oil continues to be the medium in some of
the Mediterranean countries, and large
transactions have been based upon it. An
iioch and Alexandria are said to have used
a wooden talent. Lead passes current in
Burmah. Tin farthiuCs were struck by
Charles II. in 1850. stud of copper being
inserted in the middle of the coin to rem
der CONTRIBUTING more diff cult, tin half
pence and farthings were used as late as
1851, but never obtained really wide cir
culation. Tin coins were formerly en-
ployed in Java and in Mexico, and the
metal is said to he still current by weight
in the Straits of Malacca. The Russian
government which owns the principal pla-
tinum mines, began fifty years ago to coin
that metal, but after seventeen years of ex-
pertinent; gave it up. The appearance OF
the metal is inferior to gold, and the fact
that ii is seldom pr never used for pur-
poses of urnamentation is also against its
use. Nevertheless, at the monetary con,
ference at Paris in 1867. the Russian rep
reSentativc proposed that platinum should
be employed for the coinage of live franc
pieces. The forms of coins are represented
ia almost every shape, from the gold but
ton or grain of Poudichcrry to the seine
r-shaped pieces once employed IN Persia.
Austria finds it profitable TO continue tho
coming of the Maria Theresa silver dollar,
with the original design and date 1850
because of its great popularity i'll Northern
| Africa and the Levaut. When the British
government undertook the Abyssnian ex-
pcdition, the military chest contained large
/ quantities of these dollars, which are in
great demand among the natives. In some
portions of the Orient porcelain coins are
used, and are quite in demand. Boston
Journal Of Commerce.