Kissi Iron Penny Currency

Eighteen inches of iron, and a smith’s hammer left its signature in every one.

Kissi smiths of Sierra Leone forged these twisted rods, which served for generations as an accepted currency, reckoned in bundles for marriage payments and exchange. This one, 20th century, thickens toward a broad, triangular fin that ends in a sharp point. The other end narrows to a slender twist and finishes with a small rounded knob. The rust-brown surface is textured and uneven.

Read it like handwriting.