The Macdonald Collection of Primitive Currency

West Coast, small Manillas (5), made in Birmingham for export before 1938, 6 x 5.5cm, total weight 0.38kg (Quiggin p.89, figs. 3 and 4); together with a quantity of Cowries of various sizes [Lot]. One Manilla with some verdigris, otherwise very fine (£80-100)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Macdonald Collection of Primitive Currency.

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Collection

The main content of Birmingham-made Manillas was approximately 63% copper, 30% lead and 3% antimony. They were sold to traders for £127 per ton but were eventually called in by governments and replaced by modern coinage. Some 32 million were collected by Barclays Bank and the Bank of West Africa and returned to Britain as scrap metal