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10,000 BCE
The First Form of Currency
The first form of money was barter. Barter was used millions of years ago as the first payment and use of exchange. -
9000 BCE
Second Form of Currency
The next form of currency that came up after bartering, was cattle. Between 9000 to 6000 BC, people used cattle and other animals as a form of payment and exchange. -
1200 BCE
The Third Form of Currency
The third form of currency was cowrie shells. The first use of cowrie shells came from China. Cowrie shells later spread to other societies, and became one of the oldest and widely used form of currency. -
1000 BCE
The Fourth Form of Currency
The fourth form of currency was metal coins. Metal coins originated in China. Bronze and Copper cowrie imitations were originally made in China. Metal tool money, such as knife and spade monies, was also first used in China. Chinese coins were made out of base metals, and had holes so they could be put together like a chain. -
500 BCE
The Fifth Form of Currency
The fifth form of currency was modern coinage. The first modern coins were developed out of lumps of silver. These early coins first originated in Lydia, which is part of present-day Turkey, but the techniques were copied and refined by the Greek, Persian, Macedonian, and later the Roman empires. Unlike Chinese coins that used base metals, these new coins were made from precious metals such as silver, bronze, and gold, which made them increase in value. -
The Future of Currency
With current technology being more developed, transactions have been taking place electronically, without the exchange of any physical currency. Digital cash in the form of bits and bytes will most likely continue to be the currency of the future.
