[rax0m]

Scarcity has driven value before [0]. And the more scarce, then more valueable. This being combined with other characteristics necessary to be money: Divisibility, fungibility, salibility across time and space.

Some examples: wampum seashells, mammoth ivory beads, glass beads. None of these have "intrinsic" value.

By the way, the main point of the article I linked is that since humans like to collect random, valueless things (like seashells on the beach) then there must exist an evolutionary explanation for that. Meaning, the behavior must have been selected for.

[0]: https://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/rob/Courses/InformationInSpeech/C...