As I mentioned in my early reply to this thread, there has been quite
a bit of historical research on market and quasi-market activities
among enslaved people. To amplify Barbara's and others' references a
bit, one favorite of mine is Hilary Beckles's book "Reluctant Rebels"
which deals with the importance of alve women and their provisions
markets in Barbados. there were also slave-run markets in many of the
other Caribbean islands, including Jamaica.
 
I have a few pages from the account books of Jane Bolling Randolph of
Curles Plantation in Henrico Co., Virginia from 1739-1743. Many of
the entries in the book appear to be of slaves making purchases from
the plantation stores. I noted that the slaves and servants always
had to pay off their accounts before making furture purchases,
whereas those who appear to be small planters/yeoman/tenants remained
in a form of perpetual debt to the planter's store, much as the
planters themselves remained in perpetual debt to their British
factors. I believe that one of the most common artifacts associated
with slave houses throughout the South is money. Coins, specifically.
While some are pierced and appear to have been used for purposes
other than making cash transactions, root cellars and cabin floors
often revea plain old shillings and pennies. I don't believe that
archaeologists should be surprised that slaves participated in a cash
economy, or that poor people incapable of accumulating real property
might spend their cash on small luxuries.
 
Dan Mouer