Probably pages of a more accurate site on coinage/trade and New World history is below. (The earlier one I linked does seem a bit suspect, now that I look at it again)?

HBC-Trade Silver - The Beaver

Fur trade barter

Early beaver dollars

Though there is no date cited of the early currencies used, it states that brooches (much like coins) were used in the fur trade as currency would be now (not to be confused with British currency): "A round silver brooch, the size of a shilling was rated at a shilling and a larger brooch, the size of a silver dollar, was rated at one Spanish dollar. Beaver pendants, approximately 1/2 inch in length were valued at one beaver skin.

In addition, throughout (what is now Canada) the early fur trade (French and British) the beaver pelt was a prized trade item and there seemed to be a shortage of currency, so a variety of currencies and items seemed to have been used to barter.