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Kissi penny
| Issuer | Kissi people (West Africa) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1880-1940 |
| Type | Proto coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Anepigraphic. The piece presents the characteristic elongated, hand-forged iron rod form of the Kissi penny, with a twisted or ribbed shaft extending from a flattened, spatulate or T-shaped head at the top terminus. A small iron ring encircles the shaft at approximately mid-length, a feature sometimes interpreted as a unit marker or decorative element. The surface displays the dark, oxidized patina typical of traditionally smelted and worked iron. The entire object is devoid of any inscription, legend, or figural imagery. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (1880-1940) |
| Additional information |
The Kissi penny functioned as currency across Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia well into the colonial period, surviving multiple British and French administrative attempts to suppress indigenous exchange systems. Its twisted iron form was produced by local smiths and carried social weight beyond commerce — a broken piece was considered spiritually inert until a ritual specialist restored it, a belief that sharply limited melting or repurposing by colonial authorities.