What about non-circular money?

koban by Mrktstrtmyhm posted Jun 3, 2021 at 7:13 PM

I recently discovered the Tokugawa Koban and it had me wondering...what other types of money are out there that aren't circular. I know there are some lesser denominations from Japan also during this time period that are rectangular but what else is out there?

I think somebody in ancient Greece (Thrace?) used miniature dolphins as money? I've seen them on some auction sites. Is Wampum around anymore? Interested to hear your responses to this one!

 

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A lot of non circle money in Asia. Japan has a rectangular shaped silver coin. There was also a lot of weird shaped money in China, including the knife money and other tool shaped bronze coins.

I got a book from the library recently that has a whole section about this. I’ll take pictures of the pages and post soon.

 

Olbian dolphin amulets that were likely used as a form of money ca. 600BC:

 

A Japanese Bu in silver, ca. 1850s:

 

A 19th century Katanga cross used as money in the Congo region of Africa

 

Here are some of the more interesting ones:


Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Coins
by Burton Hobson and Robert Obojski

 

The big Kahuna of money - Swedish plate 4 daler from reign of King Frederick, dated 1731

 

Nice!..they must of carried around some big wallets!

 

This stuff just shows how great the craftsmen were with the simple tools they had to work with.

 

Big thanks to everyone who contributed to this post! World coins, or world money, have always peaked my interest more so than anything else. Cheers!

 

India has some interesting shapes...

 

I saw that coin at the Coin Cabinet in Stockholm back in 2015.

 

Japan amulets