Tea Bricks
In ancient China, Tibet, and Mongolia, tea wasn’t just a beverage—it was a barter item of choice. Tea leaves were compressed into bricks for durability and ease of transport, then traded as currency. These bricks had different values based on quality and size, with premium bricks fetching impressive trades.
Tea bricks were incredibly practical. They were easy to carry, could be shaved to make small transactions, and doubled as a warm drink in the cold mountains. In times of crisis or famine, people could literally eat the bricks as a last resort. Modern money may be easier to spend, but it doesn’t taste nearly as good when steeped in boiling water.
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