shell money

noun

: a medium of exchange consisting of shells
The … Karok, and Yurok peoples of Northern California attached great cultural value to shell money … .Ralph T. Coe, Lost And Found Traditions, 1986
compare cowrie, wampum

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Cite this Entry

“Shell money.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shell%20money. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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