Chinese Empire, Qing Dynasty, Tally Stick worth 50 Cent

Tally sticks are in occasional use in China until this day. It is money that complements the regular currency – a form of supplementary cash thus. Some tally sticks are used by merchants as money and therefore indicate a value, such as 5 cents or 1000 cash. Others are good for a certain service, a cup of tea, a haircut, a meal and so forth. The denomination of the tally stick shown here is given in Chinese and in Arabic numbers; it has a value of 50 cent.