Ever wondered how the world was before money, how people were compensated for goods and services? Well, wonder no more Paper Beads were how things were battered for. The are many unique patterns or designs and they each represented something different. Today they are worth so much more than what they were used to barter for. And there rarer a design is the more expensive it is to attain it.

Back in the day, these gorgeous beads were used as a form of currency. People would barter with them to get items like myrrh, spices, fur, clothing and palm oil. No one who had them could go hungry or be without goods. They weren t just used to barter around, oh no they traveled to other lands and shores to acquire goods with them. This system was developed around the 12th century and continued for a long time.

There were more rare pieces and then they were those you found everywhere. The more rare but special ones included the Millefiori and Chevron. The color was also a determining factor in how available or scarce the jewelry was. The colors blue and white were produced in multitudes, they were everywhere. However, the more scarce colors were yellows and green and that made them more expensive.

Today they are a little harder to come by. A lot has happened, some have gotten lost. Due to people not using them for the same functions as before. No one needs them to barter anymore. On top of that, history has seen many African tribes get separated. This means there was no one left to make them anymore. So production decreased hectically.

Another rare sight is the cobalt blue or bottle green twisting neck pieces. They can be expensive too depending on where they are purchased. It was cut in Venice, unlike the others that were cut and polished in Bohemia. One piece can go for $620 and this is from a recent auction purchase. This kind of purchase is better when you know you have money to blow and are ready to take on auctions.

Another rare commodity is the Russet-red ones, made during the 1800s in Murano. They are as stunning as the name sounds, they were used to barter in Asia and North America. For fuel, oil, and artifacts everything that was required to make life better. These are called white hearts today and you should expect to cough up anything between $40 to $500. This piece is truly something special, the cost will go up depending on its age, heritage, and colors.

Before you go looking for them, you must do extensive research. This is to prepare you for the purchase. If you hope to go home with anything once you see the item, you must go for it fast. It is not guaranteed that you might see the same make and size again. In fact you don t know if you will get the same color again, so you need to be ready from the moment you see it. Get information on it and have enough cash with you, to ensure it doesn t get snatched from you.

Many people go around the world collecting these, they have incredible collections that are not for sale. If you are looking to join that club you need to know your stuff. This is so that you don t lose out on great opportunities of finding them.