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©1996 Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature


CATEGORY 6:
 ARTIFACTS OF THE FUR TRADE

Section: A // B1 // B2 // B3 // B4 // C1 // C2 // D

D. CURRENCY IN THE FUR TRADE

HBC 1989 A-D : EAST MAINTOKENS
Set of brass tokens in denominations of 1 MB (Made Beaver), 1/2 MB, 1/4MB, and 1/8 MB introduced in the late 1800s by Inspecting Chief Factor GeorgeSimpson McTavish.
Barter or "goods for goods," was the original method used by theHudson's Bay Company in their trade with Aboriginal peoples. This systemwas replaced with the use of counters in the forms of ivory discs, woodensticks, bird quills, musket balls and other objects. In the late 1800s,these counters gave way to metal tokens with values stamped on them. Theunit of value in trading for furs in the Subarctic was one Made Beaver (MB),that is, a beaver pelt in its prime condition.


HBC 82 C,G,I : OAK TOKEN STICKS
Counters branded with the number one to indicate a value of one made beaver.They were used at Fort Churchill in the 1800s and at other Arctic posts.


HBC 60-80 I; 60-88 E
Ralph Parsons issued tokens made from recycled copper and lead for use innorthern Quebec and Baffin Island in the early 20th C. In this trading district,the pelt of the white fox was adopted as the standard of value for trade.The various shapes and sizes of the tokens represented the different animalpelts.

HBC 46-39 : EASTERN ARCTIC TOKEN
The number "one" represents the white Arctic fox as the standardof value of trade.




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