Feather coils are bizarre but a particularly valuable form of currency. The value of the feather coils is determined by the quality of the feathers and the weaving. Usually ten feather coils would be used to pay a bride price. In the Solomon Islands, the feathers could along with shells and stones were used for ritual payments. They could also be used to buy boats, wood, and pigs. Most of these transactions were on the beaches of an island so people from other islands can buy and bring items back to their island. Another interesting fact about this currency is that the coils are made of bright red feathers from the Scarlet Honeyeater; they consisted of 50,000-60,000 red feathers. Feather coils are abnormal yet understably valuable.
Facts and picture credit: www.nbbmuseum.be/en/2010/10/feathermoney.htm
