Always an interesting subject, cash! When I was young we used the word to refer to coins specifically, and I still tend to use it that way which often confuses people.

Cash – n. any of various Asian coins of small denomination, especially a copper and lead coin with a square hole in its center. From Portuguese caixa, from Tamil kacu, a small coin.

In old Chinese currency 1000cash = 100 candareens = 10 maces = 1 tale

Presumably the ‘tale’ has connections with the Greek ‘talent’ (a unit of money) referred to in Jesus’ parable of the talents.