STRANGE CURRENCY

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1929, Page 8

STRANGE CURRENCY

MEDIUM OE EXCHANGE.

Bricks of compressed tea, a woodpecker s scalp, liquorice-soaked, tobacco, condensed milk, grass mats, and salt are among the curious types of the world’s mediums of exchange, which are included -in what is characterised as one of the most famous collections of money in tile world. This collection, comprising more than 40,000 specimens, and covering a period of 5000 years, has just been purchased by the Chase National Bank of America

from Mr Farren Zerbe, the numismatist (reports the “Morning Post”). These wonderful treasures, gathered together by Mr Zerbe during the last 40 •years, with about 400 books and pamphlets dealing with the subject, are to be kept on permanent exhibition at the bank’s headquarters in New York. The collection, which- before the war was, it is stated, valued at £10,000,000, begins with a clay due bill used in Babylon 5000 years ago ; arid continues with the first coins minted about 700 B;C., and the first paper money issued by the Chinese in 1300 A.D. As a contrast, there is a. 1923 Reichmark note

for a trillion marks, which to-day is worth about one shilling; and ' the specially designed, cheque for £5OOO, representing the prize given to Colonel Lindbergh for. his famous trans-Atlan-tic flight. Biblical history is represented by examples of tthe “widow’s mite” and the shekel. A piece of the'world’s largest money—a 31b copper slab, 2ft long and' Ift wide, once worth eight dalers in Sweden —compares strangely with a South Indian gold coin, no larger than a pinhead, and weighing one grain. 'Certain of the specimens represent the only known record of early civilisations. An interesting addition soon to be made will be the largest denomination of new United States money, the 10,000-dollar bank note —bearing the portrait of Salmon P. Chase, father of the American national banking system.