# 102.4 Lesson - whyStonesShellGold

**Screen:** whyStonesShellGold

**Headline:** Why were stones, shells and gold commonly used as money in the past?

**Reward:** 3

**Text:** Well, these items all had some -- but not all -- of the characteristics of good money.

So what characteristics make for “good” money? Scarce: not abundant, nor easy to reproduce or copy Accepted: relatively easy for people to verify its authenticity Durable: easy to maintain, and does not perish or fall apart Uniform: readily interchangeable with another item of the same form Portable: easy to transport Divisible: can be split and shared in smaller pieces

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## QUIZ

**Question:** Why were stones, seashells and gold used as units of money?

**Answer:** Because they have key characteristics -- such as being durable, uniform and divisible.

**Feedback:** Correct. More key characteristics include being scarce and portable.

**Correct:** true

**Answer:** Because they are pretty and shiny.

**Feedback:** Incorrect. That may be true, but alone are not great characteristics of money.

**Correct:** false

**Answer:** Because they fit inside of your pocket

**Feedback:** Not quite. Although these items were surely portable, that alone was not the reason to be used as money.

**Correct:** false

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