The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-21
PECULIAR CURRENCY
SKINS OF ANIMALS PROBABLY THE
FIRST FORM OF MONEY.

There was a time when neither coin
nor even metals in the rough were in
use among mankind as a circulating
medium. Numismatics. as rule, go no
farther back than 500 or 900 years be-
fore the Christian era to the stamped
pieces Of metal circulated among the
Greeks and Lydians.
1t may be of interest to glance at
some Of the early forms Of currency
and at the strange substitutes for
money still in use among barbarous
peoples.
The earliest substitute for coin cur
rent used by man is believed to have
been the skins Of animals. This medi-
UNI Of exchange was employed by the
ancient Russians and also by the first
settlers Of this country. Certain tribes
Of the Alaskan Indians today use the
pelts of bears and foxes for currency.
The pastoral age succeeded the hunt
ing age, and men began to use animals
themselves instead Of their skins for a
circulating medium.
The animals principally employed
were sheep and oxen, their relative val
ue being determined by the ancient
Romans at ten sheep for one OK, which
standard is still recognized among the
Mongol tribes. Traces Of this custom
are still visible in the Irish and Ice
landic laws.
Among the early Teutonic races fines
were often paid in cattle, and the Zu-
lus and the Kaffirs in this year Of grace
make use of this old time medium.
and the use of metal coins for money Is
found in the currency Of the early
Romans, who used pieces Of brass clip
ped off from a mass.
Later, In the time Of Servius Tullius,
the brass was coined and marked with
the figure Of an OK. An interesting lit
tie bit Of genealogical lore is connected
with this custom, for the Latin word
for money, pecunia-whence our mod
ern term pecuniary-was derived from
pecus, cattle.
Metal money was used, however,
long before the time Of the Romans.
As far back as the days Of Abraham
the Egyptians used gold and silver for
currency. It was counted by weight
and not by face value.
The Hebrews had "jewel money" in
addition to shekels and talents and
drains of gold and silver. On the
Egyptian tombs gold Is represented as
being weighed in rings for commercial
purposes, rather an Improvement, 1t
may be considered, on the earlier metal
lump.
Before the introduction Of coined
money into Greece skewers or spikes
Of iron and copper constituted the cur
rency six making a dram or handful.
This iron money continued in use
among the Spartans for many cen
turtles. and Plutarch tells US that to
great quantity and weight Of this but
small value was assigned. 50 that
to lay up ten minae, little over Ell.
whole room was required, and to re-
move it nothing less than a yoke Of
oxen.
In certain parts Of Central Africa
iron spikes are still used. after the
Spartan fashion, and, according to
Adam Smith, it was not so long ago
that nails were used as a subsidiary
coin in Scotland; hence, perhaps, we
obtain the term ''tenpenny nail''-i. e.,
ten for penny.
During the commercial supremacy Of
Carthage the common currency used
by her merchants and sailors both in
their trade at home and with foreign
nations was pieces Of leather stamped
with the arms Of the powerful republic.
The currency Of the Aztecs consisted
of transparent quilts Of gold dust, Of
bits Of tin cut In the form Of T and
Of bags Of cocoa containing a specified
number Of grains. BLESSED money"
exclaims the old annalist, Peter Martyr,
(which excerpts its possessor from
avarice since it cannot be long hoard
ed or hidden under ground"
The earliest coinage in America was
the famous hog money" made In 1912
for the Virginia company at the Sum-
mer islands, now the Bermudas. The
coin was Of brass, with the legend
'Sommer Islands and a "hogge on
one side in memory of the abundance
Of hogges which were found on the
first landing"
The currency Of the early colonists
was very mixed one. At one time
musket balls passed for change at a
farthing apiece and were legal tender
for sums under a shilling. Corn, beans,
Goldfish and peltries were also legal ten
der.
Wampum, the shell bead money of
the Indians, was the currency most
in use, however, being accepted by the
colonists as convenient token
There were two kinds Of this shell
money ''wampumeag" which was
white and made from the conch or
periwinkle, and 'suckanock," which
was dark purple and made from the
hard shell clam. The purple was worth
twice as much as the white. The shell