Lot 3469

Lot with 7 Nigeria copper, bronze or brass manillas (total weight approx. 2.74 kg.), ca.15th to the 20th century. Manillas are particullarly associated with the Atlantic slave trade. In 1505 a slave could be bought for 8–10 manillas and a elephant’s tooth for one copper manilla. Well after the abolishing of slavery, they continued to be used as money till about the 1940’s. An atractive collection of manillas, all of different type, decoration, weight and size (Opitz p.277-281)