DCHP-1 Online
quill Fur Trade, Hist. 
n. a quill, especially a goose quill, used as a token by traders bartering with Indians.
- 1801 The chief, when he proposes to make a feast, sends quills, or small pieces of wood, as tokens of invitation to such as he wishes to partake of it.
- 1833 (1932) The trader, on receiving the Indian's hunt, proceeds to reckon it up . . . giving the Indian a quill for each beaver; these quills are again exchanged at the counter for whatever articles he wants.
- 1934 So the old gentleman now asked for the promised skins. He was handed one hundred marked goose quills, representing that number of skins. After checking them over in bunches of ten, he entrusted twenty to his eldest grandson . . . to be held in reserve for ammunition.
- 1801 The chief, when he proposes to make a feast, sends quills, or small pieces of wood, as tokens of invitation to such as he wishes to partake of it.