Circa 1890-1910 small bag of cowrie shells, "The Most Popular of Counters for all Card Games." Loads of small shells such as these would've been brought back as ballast on ships doing round trip voyages to Africa. In Europe and North America they were used in sailor crafts, jewellery, and as dice and gaming counters. Interestingly, in parts of British West Africa, taxes were paid in cowrie shells. It is very uncommon to find an intact 100-year-old cotton sack of these. The 4" x 5" sack purportedly contains "about 300" shells. 

Dimensions: 4"x5"