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This coil of red feathers from the Santa Cruz Islands in the Pacific
was used as currency. They were used for high-value transactions,
such as the purchase of an ocean-going canoe, for marriage payments,
or for the payment of a fine. As the coils did not have a fixed
value, any transaction involved a significant amount of negotiation.
The redness of the feathers, the weight (lighter was better as weight
indicated dampness), and signs of wear were all factors affecting
the coil’s value.
View database record 1954.4.15
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