Premonetary
The adjective premonetic (root word derived from the Latin moneta for coin ; prefix “pre” for “past”, “before” or “back”) means “pre-coinage” and denotes forms of both pure bartering and trading in primitive means of payment such as natural goods ), Tools ( equipment money ), weapons (weapon money ), jewelry (jewelry money) or metal bars (bullion money). These early means of payment already have monetary functions, but they are not considered to be monetary payment transactions, as they were not issued by any state or quasi-state institution that guarantees its authenticity as the equivalent value for a commodity and at the same time defines its territorial scope of validity, nor does it despite it the partially already existing weight graduation a fixed nominal value . The face value was later determined by a coin on the respective metal , u. a. Copper , electron , gold and silver .
Premium means of payment that are modeled on weapons or other devices can be recognized by the fact that they cannot fulfill the function of the prototype. Arrowhead-like premonitarian means of payment are clearly too blunt to be used as arrowheads. Without a sharp point and cutting edge, the risk of injury in payment transactions and production costs were lower. With these means of payment, it was usually only a question of the material value that corresponded to that of the model.
Up until the 20th century, manillas , copper bracelets with sometimes considerable weight, were used as a means of payment in many areas of Central Africa .
