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Did Filipinos really use seashells as money?

Discover the fascinating world of the cowrie coin economy in pre-colonial Philippines—a barter system built on beauty, trust, and the power of the ocean. Long before banks or minted coins, Filipino communities used shell currency to trade, pay tribute, and even resist colonization.

In this video, we explore how cowries became both cash and culture, how the Spanish tried to destroy this system, and why its legacy still lingers today.

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✅ References
1. William Henry Scott – Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society
Scott, a widely respected historian on pre-Hispanic Philippines, discusses the use of shells as currency, including cowries and beads in both economic and symbolic roles.
He notes that early Spanish accounts observed Filipinos using shell money in barter transactions, particularly in remote or interior areas.
📖 “Among the items of exchange were gold, rice, salt, cloth, and shells, especially cowries, which served as a unit of trade in many places.”
2. Antonio Pigafetta’s Journal (1521)
In his chronicle of the Magellan expedition, Pigafetta notes that locals used small shells and gold for trade.
In particular, “white shells strung together” were mentioned in trade with Visayans.
3. Spanish Colonial Records – Archivo General de Indias
Some 16th–17th century Spanish reports mention frustration that Filipinos continued to use "pebbles, shells, and beads" for trading instead of adopting Spanish currency.
This is found in economic reports and missionary letters archived in Seville.
4. Zorc, David Paul – The Bisayan Dialects of the Philippines
Linguistic studies reference terms for money that originated from words meaning “shell,” “bead,” or “string.”
Suggests a linguistic trail back to early forms of currency and value systems.
5. National Museum of the Philippines – Archaeological Finds
Excavations in areas like Panay, Mindoro, and Palawan have unearthed cowrie shells in trade-related layers, sometimes alongside Chinese ceramics, gold, and other exchange items.
6. Oxford Reference – “Cowrie Shells as Currency” (Global Entry)
Notes that cowrie shells were commonly used in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, until displaced by colonial coinage systems.
Describes cowries as a “universal small-change” currency in maritime Southeast Asia.