Kissi Iron Penny Currency

Long after European coinage arrived, the pennies stayed in use.

Across Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, Kissi pennies were counted in bundles for trade and for significant payments between families. This one is a 20th-century iron rod made by the Kissi of Sierra Leone, nine and a half inches long. The shaft is lean and ribbon-like, twisted tightly along its length, with a few flattened sections where the iron was worked. A narrow, upright crossbar closes one end, and a rounded, flattened paddle, slightly cupped, closes the other.

The surface is mottled gray-brown with pale highlights.

Bring a few friends. They look best in company.