The History of Money At the very beginning of the commercial world, the main form of economic exchange was Barter, Barter is the exchange of resources or services for mutual advantage, and may date back to the beginning of humankind. There are many experts that believe that animals and plant also barter their natural resourcers. barter among humans has been happening long before the use of money. Today individuals, organizations, and governments still use, and often prefer, barter as a form of exchange of goods and services. From 9,000 to 6,000 BC Cattle was used as the main form of money. Cattle, which include anything from cows, to sheep, to camels, are the first and oldest form of money. During 1,200 BC cowries were used for the first time. This was an object used as a form of currency, it was the shell of a mollusc that was found in the shallow waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Historically, many societies have used cowries as money, and even as recently as the middle of this century, cowries have been used in some parts of Africa.
Lincoln memorial cent, with the S mintmark of the ...
Campaign poster showing William McKinley holding U...
Early paper money, China, Song DynastyThe cowrie is the most widely and longest used currency in history.
During 1,000 BC the First Metal Money and Coins were used Bronze and Copper cowrie imitations were manufactured by China at the end of the Stone Age and could be considered some of the earliest forms of metal coins. Chinese coins were made out of base metals, often containing holes so they could be put together like a chain.
In the year 500 BC Modern Coinage was developed Outside of China. The first coins were developed out of lumps of silver. They soon took the familar round form of today, and were stamped with various gods and emperors to mark their authenticity.