wampum shell

Obs.

DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

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a bead or beads of shell, Venus mercenaria, later also of porcelain, important as a kind of currency among eastern Indians.

See: wampum(def. 1)

Quotations

1800

I gave a roll of Spencer's Twist Tobacco Sc. 14 Quarts Powder, 10 Wampum Shells with Mr. McDonell's cheese to his two men. . . .