Hudson's Bay Tokens

The Hudson's Bay Company tokens represented the unit of currency used in the fur trade for many decades. The largest - one "Made-Beaver" - was equal in value to the skin on an adult male beaver in prime condition. Smaller sizes represented one-half, one-quarter, and one-eighth of a Made-Beaver. Before these brass tokens came into use, a Made-Beaver was represented by a stick, porcupine quill, and ivory disc, a musket ball, or anything else agreed upon by trader and trapper. The trapper would be handed a number of units agreed upon - representing the value of his catch - and with these would make his purchases from the store. The tokens were designed by George Simpson Mctavish of Albany Fort in 1854.