Assorted British West African Penny Coins Nigeria 32inch

Assorted old coins on a rope from British West Africa, which are perforated in the center. Used as currency, jewelry, decor for baskets, and fetish figures throughout West Africa.

A substantial 32-inch strand of assorted British West African penny coins, each individually drilled and strung on cord. Issued for use in colonial-era Nigeria and neighboring British West African territories, these coins bear a range of dates, denominations, and worn designs, with many retaining traces of inscriptions and imagery from the period.

The coins display a wonderful variety of naturally aged surfaces, from dark charcoal and silvery gray to warm coppery brown and areas of green verdigris. Their accumulated wear, patina, and irregularity give the strand a strong historical presence. Once circulated as everyday currency, the coins were later repurposed into adornment, reflecting the long tradition throughout Africa of transforming imported coins into jewelry, status objects, and personal currency.

A distinctive strand for collectors of African trade currency, colonial coinage, ethnographic jewelry, or unusual display pieces.

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