Something I saved from eBay a while back.
Eastern Europe Celtic Tribes of the Danube Region
Bronze "Bell Money" 22mm x 19mm (3.16 grams)
Circa 500-300 B.C.
The ancient Celts used proto-money trading tokens like this to conduct trades before the introduction of coins to the area and possibly even afterwards, at least for trade between each other. This is called bell money because of it's shape and therefore there is no clapper inside as it was used for currency. The ancient Celts would carry this type of money on a string around their body such as in a necklace fashion. A benefit to this type of money is that they can be easily stacked and counted, and allowed for a basic unit of exchange above barter. This allowed for the basic the benefits of money as it is used in today's world and the ability to have a flourishing free market economy. An important part of ancient history of money as it developed and progressed.
