Kissi Iron Penny Currency

Twenty inches, and easy to count. That was rather the idea.

Among the Kissi of Sierra Leone, iron rods circulated in bundles for bridewealth, trade and ceremony, and their long, narrow form made them simple to carry. This 20th-century penny has a finely twisted shaft running straight from a broad, pointed fin to a small, notched ear. The hand shows in the slight irregularities of the twist. The surface is dry and rust-red throughout.

Hand forging shows throughout. Practical to the last inch.