Tally Sticks When Britain Was Broke

in money •  7 years ago  (edited)

Britain is still broke now and falling deeper into the red everyday.

Many years ago,   Tallies were a way of recording debts with a system that was sublimely simple and effective.   

Tally stick was a technique which became common in medieval Europe, which was  constantly short of money (coins) and predominantly illiterate, in  order to record bilateral exchange and debts. A stick (squared hazelwood  sticks were most common) was marked with a system of notches and then  split lengthwise. This way the two halves both record the same notches  and each party to the transaction received one half of the marked stick  as proof. 

The stick would contain a record of the debt, for example: "£9 4s 4d from Fulk Basset for the farm of Wycombe". Fulk Basset was a Bishop of London in the 13th Century. He owed his debt to King Henry III.   

Because willow has a natural and distinctive grain, the two halves would match only each other. 

Today the UK is still in debt much more so now however, Bitcoin and ALT coins could be the saviour for the people.

Peace.

TIPS LTC: 3FMVuX6PfyXsPhhMeqTowgQX8SeJ4c3cTd

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Upvote!:) I like the content, keep it going :) By the way did you know, that 96% of candles sold are purchased by women.

That's a smart an easy way to keep up tracks ! and no counterfeiting or cheat either !
Fun fact, use of such system was still common in France in the early 1900's !