Photographs © Tim Hamill
KING MANILLA 22, "Bracelet" Currency , 10.5", $250, SOLD, West Africa
These copper alloy "bracelet" forms were recognized and used as currency for rare but most transactions in West Africa from the end of the 15th C. to the mid-20th C. The metal content varies from copper to brass, but many were mixed with lead and even iron. The natives valued them by their ring when struck. Most were manufactured in England or France and, like trade beads, were used for trade with Africa and ended up there. There are many different types. I would recommend An Ethnographic Study of Traditional Money, by Charles Opitz. We sell it for $80.
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