When first introduced by French Jesuit missionaries, the rings were made of brass and had scenes of saints or religious monograms stamped on or cast into round or oval plaques. In 1702 seventytwo dozen of these, Jesuit style trade rings, were ordered from Europe. They were ordered for the Kaskaskia Mission in Illinois, to be used as rewards for learning catechism or in exchange for food.By 1700 these rings were also being used by fur traders for gifts or barter. This greatly increased the number of rings produced and the production technique changed. The rings were cast plain and crudely engraved later, perhaps by the trader. By 1750 the rings were most often engraved with secular motifs on oval, heart and octagonal plaques. Some rings were made of silver, as shown by a fur traders order, in 1798, for six dozen silver finger rings with oval plates.Early photographs show how the rings were worn and that they were used well into the 20th century. Archaeological findings also show that the rings were worn on both hands, by both sexes, sometimes several rings to the finger.There seems to be five or six major patterns of plaque design. The first type, the initial rings, all have one, two, or three initials in their design. The second have L and heart as part of their design. The third, the X, XX or M rings all have crossing straight lines as part of their motif. The impressed heart or hearts design rings are the fourth style. Fifth and sixth are the clasped hands and the cross or saint motif rings.

Website: http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/traderings/