Some form of shell money appears to have been used on almost every continent: America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. It was originally used as a commodity exchange, the shells having value as jewelry. “In China, cowries were so important that many characters relating to money or trade contain the character for cowry: 貝. Starting over three thousand years ago, cowry shells, or copies of the shells, were used as Chinese currency. The Classical Chinese character for "money/currency", 貝, originated as a pictograph of a cowrie shell.” [wiki] The ancient Chinese used three types of shell money: actual cowrie shells, imitations carved from bone or stone, and imitations cast from bronze, with inscribed variants known as Ant Nose Money. Inscriptions and archaeological evidence show that cowrie shells were regarded as important objects of value in the Shang dynasty (c. 1766-1154 BC). In the Zhou period, they are frequently referred to as gifts or rewards from kings and nobles to their subjects. Later imitations in bone, stone or bronze were probably used as money in some instances. (Hartill, David. Cast Chinese Coins, p.3) Here is a group of four imitation bone cowrie shells that come to me from my friend and fellow dealer Don Zauche, who has a lifetime of experience trading and authenticating ancient artifacts. CHINA. Bone imitation cowrie shell money. Four pieces, ranging from 2.3 to 3.4g, 23-27mm. 3rd to 2nd millenia BC. Reference: Hartill 1.2 (p.3) Ex Don Zauche Feel free to post any shell money you may have, or coins with shells on them.
Western Zhou Dynasty Deer bone cowrie-shell imitation 1046-771 BCE O: Vertical cut through face, some horizontal scratches (cuts?) R: Blank as made
COWRIE / SHELL: China ANCIENT Cowrie - BONE 2 holes for clothing or funeral bier 20mm Hartill 1-2v Coole 51-66 China Cowrie Shell Pottery (real cowrie for comparison) Got these from a collector friend in China... BUNCH OF CHINA COWRIE: Zhou Dynasty - 1046-771 BCE Bone, Jade, Clay, etc.
AE COWRIE - CHINA: China Zhou -Chou- 1000-200 BCE Dynasty Bronze cowrie AES SHELL MONEY - ITALY: Oscan-Latin Aes Formatum shell with Ribs 4th BCE Oscan-Latin Aes Formatum shell 25mm 12.8g
Well, China is a quiet off-shoot from my collection. I have been to China perhaps 50 or so times in my career, and have literally been all over the country. Over the last few years, I would pick up coin tidbits here and there. Gotta bunch of trinkets, souvenirs, etc. over my career... LOL, and some ungawdly stories that I can tell as I watched China change / transition from the 1980's through today!
