The correct answer is C) gold or silver coins used for money.
A specie was gold or silver coins used for money.
Before having a formal currency or monetary system, it is known that ancient cultures used barter as the mean to trade goods. Lately, precious metals served as the currency to exchange products. In this case, species were identified as metallic money or coins made of silver, gold, copper, and nickel. The term does not apply to paper money.