Kissi Iron Penny Currency

Lean. A little wavering. Sixteen inches of iron that never claimed to be perfect.

A Kissi penny from Sierra Leone, 20th century. Kissi pennies were made to be exchanged in bundles, serving as bridewealth and as a medium of trade, and the twisted form was how everyone recognized them. The thin twisted shaft runs from a modest flared fin to a narrow tip with a small split end. The iron has darkened to a deep brown, with patches of rust.

Imperfection, in this trade, was a signature.