Detroit evening times., 1943-08-08
Broke Up
A Panic With
SedShe||S

Allied troops
" Japs IN the Sojomous. all eyes being turned
w back 10 the Dutch East Indies of the points
where in the not too distant future the little brown
from Nippon going TO collect another gongovcr by
forces engaged IN nullfyng their of conquest
There ny things there that be set right.
Among them s Tho monetary system affecting certain
tribes which recently threatened with disaster because
Of the brutal invasion The natives nhabtng many
islands the Netherlands group generations had used
type of scashel their money unit These partc
uar shells were because they were found only in one
locality and transported
dangerous mountain trails,
When the jap onslaught began. the invaders took the
territory where the coinshcls found Netherlands
nonpussod because the natives continuing
trade faced n money crisis with shells coming
the sandy beach mint
The hopeful Dutch turned TO Australia, tho hope
the there might produce of the par
uclar type Of shells which the natives recognized But
none found. AS the search continued one Of the
pitch administrative officers took his colleagues into
Melbourne variety store.
There money" he said pointing TO heaps OF tiny
shells commonly offered Australian children toys.
These shells of the exact type used by the East
Indies natives officials bought up althe avail
supply put them bags and started home, their
precious cargo guarded every minute of the trip And the
natives financial structure saved
Shells long have had a prominent part in the history
of money Sea shells were one Of the earliest forms
the skins OF animals next But it all de-
ponds on the part o the world you're in.
For example the Isle of zap in the CarolnCs the
natives hoard extraordinary type money found,
perhaps only their island 1t consists of large natural
discs OF arrogOnte often of great size and resembling
mlsones Coins" Of feet in diameter twelve inches
m thickness and weight three uncommon.
The largest known piece weighs one-half tons.
or these not given in exchange The cart
ostenaton the richest being those
pile up the most and the largest against the earthen
platforms on which homes stand AT times they
ceremonial offerings like the bits Of 18th Cen
ry European Glass money the Pelew Islands
and the whales teeth of the Fis
small hard shell known the cowrie still is used
parts Of India, the Malabar Islands and Africa.
among natives OF the British West Indies pins bread
and tins pinch of snuff have purchasing
In
the standard ef
Tibet churns yak milk into butter that is moulded into
cubes which the medium Of exchange throughout
Tartsrv while Mongolia pressed bricks of tea used
Chocolate eggs and coconus accepted IN the in
Brazil while among the aboriginal tribes OF Aus
traa greensboro and ochre are currency Ana the historian
Prescott that Aztec and kindred nations used
qus filed with gold dust and bags Of chocolate grains
Wampum the shell bead Of the North American Indians
was accepted by England colonists convenient
money token dealing with the red men.
During the early days Of Colonial Virginia public oblga-
tons including taxes discharged with tobacco
warehouse receipts for tobacco But the New England
preferred beans and Goldfish legal tender
the strangest money Of all perhaps is the ideal
money referred 10 by MoncsqHeu as being found in cet-
tam parts the Dark Continent 1t called "Maconte'
and simply is sign Of value without a unit
Even now Norway for currency. and tho old
1ccsndic and Irish the Of pigs and sheep
Down tho Norman Conquest, The Brtons had living
money" slaves and catteand dead money metal.
Before the introduction Of coined money In Greece,
sseters nails and spikes Of copper currency.
honc dram. handful. Refined copper deemed
thick round Jumps metal stamped with given value
j was the Lydians. however. who first made
know them The ancient being Of clectruu four
parts ~ gold 20 Of silver
HOMER raentio~eG brass money being among
the Greeks Vas far TACK as iSi c. while the Spattats
made4hers of if.n and thc Romans preferred lin N
During The reign Of NuHla. PompluS GOO b g..
experiment made with wooden money I'm Rome
silver Was nrst coined IN qge B when Fahus ricor set
up d The metal into medium of exchange
CroesIs was the first Sovereign 90 make currency OF
gold and Caesar was the first to have hs image engraved
G. a