Conquistadors Used Chocolate as Currency
When Spanish conquistadors encountered the Aztec civilization, they discovered chocolate used as currency. People could purchase a turkey for 100 cacao beans or a rabbit for 30 beans. The Aztecs valued chocolate so highly that counterfeiting existed—some people emptied cacao beans and refilled the shells with dirt. The Spanish initially disliked chocolate’s bitter taste but later added sugar, creating the sweet treat we know today.
