The Kina Shell is manufactured from the shell of the Gold lip shell (Pinctada maximums) and was part of the traditional payment and medium of exchange in Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya. She gave the modern currency the name "Kina" in Papua New Guinea.

Fundamental is the polished, crescent-shaped shell with 2 drillings at the ends, the real object of value. Some Kina Shells have a broad carrying suspension, some have a simple cord with pulled up seed capsules, or just a simple carrying cord.

The Kina Shells of the Foi tribe will be ruddy coloured and are additionally decorated with scratch and/or point decorations. Particular large and beautiful Kina Shells were often provided with an own name, kept in richly decorated bags and were given together with the bag to others.

Use and Value:

The Kina Shell was an object of value and an essential part of the bride price. The value is guided from the condition of shell, the size and the colour. Most valued were the ruddy coloured Kina Shells. They had the highest valency and acceptance in the Mount Hagen area.

In the Sepik area the carrying suspension of the Kina Shell near the drillings were decorated with Nassa Shells.

In the past, 8 Kina Shells were worth a fully-grown pig, for one shell one could get 1 small pig. The value of the Kina Shell surely varied from region to region. Until the 1960`s it had a fixed exchange rate of 12 shillings per pair.

Apart from the men also women carried it as ornament and sign of the prosperity.

At feasts or bride negotiations, together with other bride presents, a corresponding number of Kina Shells were presented on a tray like underlay.

With the arrival of the white men around the turn of the century the increasing import of Kina Shells increasingly expired their value. After this, they were only used mainly as ornament and at feasts.