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 | |  Seashells as Currency. Really!Just because we sell seashells for you to use to decorate and make crafts doesn't mean that we don't like learning about their history. In fact, we like to know as much about seashells as we possibly can. So while you're shopping around on QualityShells.com for some fun craft-making seashells, think a little bit about this fun information. Seashells were actually once used as currency in many different cultures. It makes sense, really, because (like we do today) many people in ancient cultures used seashells as jewelry or other body ornamentation. And that gave the seashells a sort of value. Some form of seashell currency could be found on virtually every continent in the world.
We were a little curious about how seashells were used as money in different cultures, and we thought you might be, too.
North America
Many Native American cultures used seashells as currency. All along the west coast, different tribes used the seashells produced by long, narrow mollusks. They saw value in the length of the shell. In fact, the highest denomination of currency was about six feet long! Imagine carrying that around in your pocket.
On the east coast, members of the Iroquois Confederacy and the Algonquin tribes wore elaborate belts with beads and seashells on them. The shells were primarily those of hard clams. The more elaborate the belt, the wealthier the wearer.
Africa
In some parts of Africa, seashells were used as currency up until the 1800s. The seashells primarily used were cowry shells. They made for ideal currency because they couldn't be found easily in western Africa. So their value went up because the supply was limited. In some areas, these seashells were actually strung together in strings of 40 or 100. This made for easy counting, as strings of seashells then became to represent a “dollar.”
It's also fun to note that in some parts of western Africa, the shell of a land snail was cut into circles and used as coinage.
At QualityShells.com, we like to think of seashells as more than just pretty things to look at. They've served a purpose for humans and animals for centuries. We know that you want to use your seashells to make your home, crafts, and jewelry more beautiful. That's why we try to bring you the highest quality seashells you can find— because a seashell is more than just a seashell.
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Seashells as Currency. Really!
