I know for ages and throughout early American history, our Native American tribes have bartered for goods and services. Some traded what they call wampum, which could mean many things including beads, textiles, food and so on. Have they ever created their own monetary system leading into the 20th century? I don't know why the sudden interest, but it's been on the tip of my brain recently. Probably because my daughter is currently studying this in school. And anybody ever collect some old native american samples of "wampum"? Would love to see a pic or two
I've heard urban legend stories about how one tribe in Virginia acquired an old mint screw press for making coins and tokens. Actually an old history professor from back in college explained this to me. So yeah, I'm interested and very curious as well if any of that jazz panned out.
As far as I know none did. Up until as late as the 1930's the local native Americans in my community traded salted fish and beadwork for foood and blankets at white owned stores. I think it would have been difficult, if not impossible for different tribes to exchange basically worthless tokens for valuable products, like we do today. Valuables were traded for valuables because coins couldn't feed your children or keep them warm in winter. Guy
Did they ever have a monetary system ? Yes, of course they did. But it never involved coins. Native Americans used other things as money, but those other things never had any set value. It was always up to the 2 parties involved as to what each was using was worth. Some tribes did use gold as ornamentation. Others like the Incas and Aztecs used it in similar ways, but to a much greater degree. And some even used precious stones. But never was there any form of coins or printed money. Theirs was purely a barter system. The screw press mentioned may well have happened, I don't know. But if it did it was not until long after the Europeans arrived. The Spanish, when they conquered parts of North America and parts of South America established mints as early as 1536. And pretty much all efforts to force the native population to use coins as money failed in the beginning. It was not until later years that the use of coins was accepted by the natives, and then only in the cities, towns and villages established and ruled by Spaniards.
Search google books for Wampum and Shell Articles Used by the New York Indians. A 19th century work, but it should answer enough of your questions. Here are my specimens: White wampum beads apx. 5mm; 0.10g each Seneca tribe, circa AD 1625-1687 Ganounata village (Honeoye Falls, NY) Cf. William Martin Beauchamp, Wampum and Shell Articles Used by the New York Indians, p. 369 From the Dann Farm site in Honeoye Falls, NY. In 1687 combined French and Huron forces, lead by the Marquis de Denonville, set out to undermine the strength of the Iriquois Confederacy. The main strike was made against Seneca villages in Western New York. Ganounata was burned during the campaign. This episode was only one in a long line of conflicts fought over control of the North American fur trade. Wampum was used by Native Americans in woven belts of white and black beads. The white beads were crafted from the columella of the Channeled Whelk, the black from the quahog. Traditionally, wampum belts were used as a ceremonial object to initiate a trade contract. It was only with the coming of the Europeans that wampum began to function as coinage. In 1673, New York state officially set the value of wampum at six white beads to the Dutch stuiver, or three black until they fell out of use.
That's what I was thinking Guy. They had completely different ideals when it came to valuables and trading for something that they needed. I tried to debunk my professor's myth at the time by explaining that these tribes didn't need the "physical" money component in their culture.
Plus, I would add the hoe money that came from Central America. Some was most likely Aztec, others may have been associated tribes. It appears Central America was on the verge of a coinage, as these copper hoes were similar to the first forms of money established by the Chinese. I know of two types, one a long thin type that is Aztec and maybe 10 inches long, and a second type the is about 7 inches long but wider. I also read that the long thin types of hoes got smaller for a period under the Spanish before disappearing entirely.
I will try to check it out. All I have is Quiggins and other "primitive money" references. Here is a link showing the three types I am aware of, from the money museum: http://www.moneymuseum.com/moneymuseum/coins/periods/coins.jsp?lang=en&aid=6&gid=28&cid=137
Its a fairly inexpensive book (that's why I bought it!) and a rather interesting read. Its quite strange to hear a New World archaeologist discuss a numismatic object - they view them completely differently from how you and I would.
That axe head example would be an interesting piece to have in a collection. But then again it might be something intended for the Smithsonian.
I own two of the three types shown in that link. The one I don't own are the later, smaller, straight hoe types. They are scarce nowadays, but not something only museums own. I bought my examples as a side to my Chinese collection, to show similarities in coinage development.
That's good to know, but just out of curiosity, where might one find a hoe or axe head for sale? I would be wary of purchasing something like that on eBay or something of that effect.
I bought the axe at CICF from a well known dealer, and the hoe from a private collection assembled in the 80's. I am very comfortable with the provenance of both. For something like this, you need to buy from a dealer who is familiar with them. I am with you, most primitive money I would not buy off of Ebay, as most I see there are reproductions. The axe will probably be the hardest to find, as they were scarcer. There was a huge hoard of hoes found around Mexico city a few decades ago, they were from what I heard pretty cheap for quite a while in the 60's. Ok, stop the snickering out there, I know where you goes are going with all of this..... I can see the responses already. Btw Kookoox, if you are interested I could PM you the names of a couple of dealers who may have these, or who run across them. They are both experienced primitive money dealers.
