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Show I ADOLESCENCE OF THE DOLLAR Present Unit of Value Has Had Many Forms and Shapes. The dollar took Romo rounding. Nor did It formorly ring truo, but, much nil vo, simply gave- a bleat or bollow. Cattle, among country folic, at ono tlmo constituted tho dollar, whlla primitive) ninn generally mado uso of any artlclo Biifllclontly abundant for tlio Btandard payment of all merchandise, merchan-dise, writes II. Holt Lomax In Harper's Wcoldy. Thus, In ancient areeco, a largo bronzo tripod had the vnluo of n dozen oxen. A good hard working wo-mnn, wo-mnn, on tho othor hand, was given In exchange- for only four such boasts. When metal took tho placo of money, tho dollar clung to Its traditions, and olns wore Btlll called nftor llvo stork Thus, "pccunln," applied to metal money, derived Its origin from "pecus" (cattlo). Krom tho custom of counting hends of cattlo camo tho present dos Ignatlon of u Bum In cash- capital, or "capita" (heads). In Sanscrit, roupa (herd, flock) made ronpya, or tho In tllnn rupee, whllo tlio Ingots of elec trum, or admixture of gold and sllvor when first In uso ns money, bore the Impress or nn ox or cow. Is'ot clumsy ' but (oo frnglle, wero tho sholla In use s money by tho negroes of Africa and throughout ancient Asia, whore the nntlves. token by Its beauty, gave tho shell u money value. |