Hawaii Cypraea Granulata shells

The shells of cowries (especially Cypraea moneta) were used for centuries as a currency in Africa. Huge amounts of Maldivian cowries were introduced into Africa by western nations during the period of slave trade.

[1] The Ghanaian unit of currency known as the Ghanaian cedi was named after cowry shells. Starting over three thousand years ago, cowry shells, or copies of the shells, were used as Chinese currency.

[2]. They were also used as means of exchange in India.

The Classical Chinese character for money(貝) originated as a stylized drawing of a cowrie shell. Words and characters concerning money, property or wealth usually has this as a radical.

The Ojibway aboriginal people in North America used cowry shells which they called sacred Megis Shells or whiteshells in Midewiwin ceremonies, and the White shell. These are Hawaii Cypraea Granulata (cowrie shells) shells use in making clasp for our Hawaiian shell leis. http://www.janjirarities.com/shell_necklace.html