The Hudson's Bay Company tokens represented the unit of currency used in the fur trade for many decades. The largest - one "Made-Beaver" - was equal in value to the skin on an adult male beaver in good condition. Smaller sizes represented one-half, one-quarter, and one-eighth of a Made-Beaver. One side of the brass token bears the Hudson's Bay Company's coat of arms and the other its value. Before these brass tokens came into use, a Made-Beaver was represented by a stick, porcupine quill, and ivory disc, a musket ball, or anything else agreed upon by trader and trapper. The trapper would be handed a number of units agreed upon - representing the value of his catch - and with these would make his purchases from the store. The tokens were designed by George Simpson Mctavish of Albany Fort in 1854.
Famous quotes containing the words hudson, bay and/or tokens:
“I’m so happy to be here. Instead of in a hotel full of tourists. Like me.”
—H.E. Bates, British screenwriter, and David Lean. Jane Hudson (Katherine Hepburn)
“A great work by an Englishman is like a great battle won by England. It is an unfading bay tree.”
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“It is the part of men to fear and tremble
When the most mighty gods by tokens send
Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)