Manilla, Nigeria, 19th century
date: label: date made
content: 19th century
notes: label: Description
content: Manillas were regularly used in exchange in West Africa, especially along the coast of modern-day Nigeria, from at least the fifteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Cast from various metals, including copper, brass, and iron, they are crescent-shaped and resemble an open bracelet. They were produced by Portuguese, British, Dutch, and French merchants specifically for trade in West Africa. Manillas were used in everyday purchases at markets. They were also a central currency of the transatlantic slave trade.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place used
content: Nigeria
label: associated place
content: Ghana: Gold Coast
label: associated place
content: Nigeria
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
label: See more items in
content: West African Currency
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: The Chase Manhattan Bank
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: NU.79.112.OC137A
label: accession number
content: 1979.1263
label: catalog number
content: 79.112.OC137A
objectType: label: Object Name
content: alternative currency
label: Object Name
content: Manilla, Copper
label: Object Name
content: Ring Money
label: Other Terms
content: Manilla, Copper; Ring Money; Africa; Gold Coast, Lower Nigeria
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: copper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brown/gold (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: green patination (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: cast (overall production method/technique)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8.24 cm x 7.4 cm x 1.79 cm; 3 1/4 in x 2 29/32 in x 23/32 in