Thursday, February 7, 2019

Cocoa And Old Stonewall

Objects of value from around the world are contained together in this circular display case. A wampum belt shares the space with shells, cocoa beans, necklaces, beads, and other items, all of which in their own societies were sought after at one point or another.


Beyond Canadian currency, the currency of the world is organized by geographic area, starting in the Americas. This shot contains a familiar sight to my American readers- the Lincoln five dollar bill. But up above it is a Confederate $500 dollar banknote from 1864, complete with a portrait of General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (a brilliant but eccentric commander) in posthumous memory. Confederate money was worthless, for all intents and purposes. Southerners persisted throughout the Civil War in using Union greenbacks, and Confederate currency was backed not in a gold reserve, but the promise of paying back citizens after the war. And at the bottom of this set is an older banknote from St. Pierre and Miquelon. The islands, off the coast of Newfoundland, are the only parts of what was once New France still under French control. These days the islands use the Euro.


More currency- of the central and South American kind.


And then European money comes into the mix. If you look at the third column from the right, you'll see vertical banknotes at the top. At least one of those is Swiss.


The Belgian franc and Dutch gulden bills caught my eye.


So too did the various British denominations.


We pick up with more of this tomorrow.

38 comments:

  1. ...I am reminded that when William Penn made land grants to new Pennsylvanians in 1682, he included a portion of Chester County in those grants--one to a family which included the original holders of the world famous Rose Gardens--the Star Gardens of Chester County--and to the historic Red Rose Inn . Each year, one Red Rose is paid in rental to a descendant of William Penn in memory
    of the grant. All things have value.

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  2. What could be better to look at than loadsamoney? I seem to use my debit card so much these days that I hardly handle cash at all.

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  3. Interesting museum William. I think I should pay a visit to the Reserve bank of Australia Museum next time I visit Sydney as it might be interesting.

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  4. The items in this museum is well displayed for easy viewing. Interesting exhibit.

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  5. Ohh ... you had the guldens that I missed in the house ... Hahaha! LOL
    Very interesting museum! Maybe I will ever visit it ... :)

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    1. Ja, ik weet dat je "wortels" in Nederland hebt, heb je mij verteld ... maar je praat niet in eens dutch! Het is jammer!
      Succes met de vertaling! Hahahaha!!!!

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  6. Money is as fascinating in a display as in the pocket. Good photos
    An island off Newfoundland using Euros, the stretch is felt.

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  7. I have heaps of banknotes and coins left over from various travels ... perhaps I should set up a display :-)

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  8. I love the idea of a circular display case.

    Janis
    GDP

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  9. Hi William, I had to google what a wampum belt was. Now I know!

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  10. Hello, I like teh display of the world currency. I have some different coins and bills from my travels. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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  11. @Tom: and for a time some centuries ago, tulips were the financial craze.

    @John: I actually prefer to use cash.

    @Sami: that would be worthwhile.

    @Nancy: that it is.

    @Ella: the gulden was interesting to see, as my family comes from the Netherlands.

    @Italiafinlandia: I certainly thought so.

    @Maywyn: I'd love to visit those islands.

    @Francisco: thank you.

    @Joan: most of my foreign currency is American, as coinage often turns up here in your spare change. I do tend to set it aside.

    @Janis: I do too.

    @Jo: I've known for quite some time.

    @Eileen: thank you.

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  12. I thought the word "wampum" was made up and now I realize it's real! Very interesting display of currency from around the world. :-)

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  13. That's a beautiful collection.
    The Belgian franc and Dutch gulden and many other European coins don't exist anymore. Since 2002 we have the Euro.

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  14. This looks like a large museum, William.

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  15. What a great collection of money/trade values. Thanks for showing us all the ways trade is/was done besides barter, of course.

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  16. It's a good thing I lead a sheltered life and only use Canadian currency. A very interesting display.

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  17. How interesting. Both the objects of value and the different currencies are fun to look at.

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  18. Oh yes, looking forward to seeing the Australian dollar tomorrow William 😉

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  19. @DJan: no, it's quite a real term. I've seen wampum belts in other contexts, including at museums, but also at ceremonies.

    @Jan: I rather like the look of the gulden.

    @RedPat: it looks that way, but it's not that big a space. Enough for its purpose, but compared to the bigger national museums not all that big.

    @Barbara: you're welcome.

    @Red: I have the odd bit of foreign currency. A few weeks back a British coin turned up in my change, and that I set aside.

    @Sharon: they are indeed.

    @Grace: yes, I have Aussie currency coming up!

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  20. I love cabinets like that first one. They force you to really look!

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  21. A completely absorbing exhibit. Thanks for Posting. Using greenbacks should have told the South what the outcome would be. Tweeted.

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  22. Very nice exhibit with interesting displays!

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  23. i am curious how heavy those necklaces might be? they look very heavy? ( ;

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  24. @Norma: it certainly is.

    @Jeanie: they do!

    @Mari: you're welcome.

    @Bill: I certainly think so.

    @Beth: it depends on the material. Precious gems would be heavier than one with shells.

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  25. It's interesting how values changed from things to money and how often the latter is changed. I remember how they "praised" the Euro for being so safe just to be proven wrong the next minute.
    Instead of picking up the Aussie concept...

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  26. I'm glad I'm not the only one who values cocoa above many other things. I'd put coffee and tea in that lot, too. I'm enjoying this exhibit.

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  27. When I was in Europe in '85 I loved all the great currency there, especially the coins. I still have some of them tucked away.

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  28. Fascinating exhibits. I can see I would be in this museum all day :)

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  29. It's interesting how different countries, and in different eras, money changes. I'd never thought of it before.

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  30. @Iris: that's true.

    @Kay: cocoa rules!

    @Catalyst: I have some international currencies.

    @Denise: it's not that big a museum, but an enjoyable one.

    @Jennifer: that's quite true.

    @Klara: definitely.

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