The EIC's Forgotten Currency: Cowries and the Indian Ocean Economy

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the humble cowrie shell — the unlikely currency that powered the East India Company's early trade. From the Maldives to Bengal, millions of tiny shells flowed into Europe and Africa, financing the slave trade and purchasing Indian textiles. Learn how these shells were harvested, traded, and eventually replaced by silver and copper coinage. Along the way, we meet the Maldivian sultans who controlled the cowrie monopoly, the European traders who exploited it, and the Indian merchants who counted fortunes in cowries. A surprising story of globalization long before the era of paper money. #EastIndiaCompany #CowrieShells #Maldives #IndianOceanTrade #GlobalEconomy #SlaveTrade #Bengal #Textiles #MoneyHistory #Numismatics #MughalEmpire #DutchVOC #PortugueseEmpire #Currency #TradeHistory #EconomicHistory #History #FexingoHistory #BritishEmpire #RobertClive Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo