Bar currency, Congo
copper
11" long, 1.5" wide
from the Alan Helms collection, Boston, MA
ex private NYC collection

$450


"Copper bars of various shapes and sizes were used in Africa as money for an extensive period of time. In the
1880's, 11 copper bars would purchase one pound of ivory in the Congo. (See Herbert p. 161.)"

From "An Ethnographic Study of Traditional Money" by Charles J. Opitz.
For additional detail, click on any photo below to see the higher resolution version of the image.
For additional detail, click on any photo below to see the higher resolution version of the image.