Kissi penny

West Africans from the region of modern-day Liberia and Sierra Leone have used iron as a trading good and standard of value for a long time.

[1] Portuguese records indicated that sailing voyages in the early sixteenth century carried iron bars among the trade good going farther north.

Thanks to the trading and nautical activities of the people of the region, especially the Kru kissi pennies circulated widely along the coast of West and Central Africa.

At some point, the currency acquired spiritual aspects, perhaps because of its use in graves, and as a result, when a penny broke it was considered without value until a Zoe, or religious practitioner, repaired it in a special ceremony.

"[5] European travelers regarded them as a curious form of primitive money, and as a result many were collected and deposited in museums.