Birch Bark
Native American birch bark currency was most prominently used by the Wabanaki Confederacy, a group of tribes including the Penobscot, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Maliseet. Birch bark was used as a form of wampum, and in addition to its currency value, these strips were also used to record treaties, contracts, and other important events.
Glass Shards
Glass beads and glass shards became popular as a form of currency when a smallpox pandemic killed about 95% of the Native American population in present-day Connecticut. The Dutch took advantage of this weakened state and negotiated a price for the purchase of land at 25,000 fathoms (about 45 kilometers or 28 miles) of wampum. However, the sudden need for currency led to a glass bead and shard shortage.
Beaver Skins
When European colonists arrived in North America, they quickly discovered that beaver pelts were highly valuable in both Europe and the Far East. This value made beaver pelts a valuable form of money that could be used to trade with Native Americans for other goods. Hudson Bay beaver skins were considered an especially valuable form of currency.
Wampum
Wampum was a form of currency used by Native Americans and European colonists in North America. It consisted of white and purple beads made from quahog clam shells. Wampum was used to purchase goods and to pay debts and taxes.
Spanish Reals
Spanish reales were silver coins that circulated widely in the Americas during the 18th and 19th centuries. The 8-real coin was particularly common and was often called a "Spanish dollar" or "peso."
Continental Currency
Continental currency was paper money issued by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. It was used to pay for expenses of the war, but due to hyperinflation, it rapidly became worthless.