6 questions. The deep history of value — things most economists never learned.
Question 1 of 6
Which currency circulated in more places on earth than gold, silver, or the dollar?
The cowrie shell traveled from the Maldives across Asia, Africa, and the Americas — used as money for over 3,000 years on more continents than any other currency in history.
Question 2 of 6
These bronze bells from Myanmar were currency. How was their value determined?
Weight was the primary measure. This is why "having money" and "weighing in" share the same ancient root in many languages.
Question 3 of 6
This Chinese silver ingot — how was it used in transactions?
Sycee ingots were literally cut apart. A merchant would shave off a piece, weigh it, and that weight of silver was the payment.
Question 4 of 6
In Uganda around 1600, how many cowrie shells did a wife cost?
Around 1600: 2 cowries. By 1857: 10,000 cowries. European traders flooded African markets with Maldivian shells, causing 250 years of bride-price inflation — and destroying the monetary system they were exploiting.
Question 5 of 6
The Kissi Penny from West Africa had a soul. What happened when it broke?
A broken Kissi Penny lost its "soul" and monetary value. A ritual specialist had to perform a ceremony to restore it — rejoining the pieces and reactivating its spiritual power. Money with a conscience.
Question 6 of 6
The Katanga Cross served as currency. What else did it become in 1960?
The same copper cross that priced human lives became the national emblem of the newly proclaimed State of Katanga in 1960. From colonial transaction to sovereign symbol — in a single lifetime.
