Old West African British Colonial Coin Beads #17678

A remarkable piece of West African trade history, this rare strand is composed of hundreds of antique colonial-era coins, each originally manufactured with a hole through the center and strung together to form an impressive 32-inch strand. Decades of age and use have given the coins a distinctive, naturally weathered patina that adds to the historic character of the piece. Coins and other forms of currency have a long history of being incorporated into personal adornment and decorative objects throughout Africa. During the colonial period, specialized coins with center holes circulated in parts of Africa and could readily be strung together, carried, or incorporated into jewelry and other forms of adornment. Today, surviving collections offer an interesting connection to the history of trade, currency, and material culture in the region. Strands such as this were more commonly encountered in the African art and bead trade during the 1970s and 1980s, but substantial examples have become increasingly difficult to find. This strand is particularly impressive for the sheer number of antique coins assembled together and its substantial overall appearance. The strand measures approximately 32 inches long. Individual coins measure approximately 1mm thick x 20–28mm in diameter, with center holes approximately 5–6mm. As antique pieces, the coins naturally vary in size, coloration, patina, surface wear, and condition. An unusual and increasingly hard-to-find piece suitable for collectors of African trade beads, antique currency, ethnographic objects, and historic adornment, or simply as a distinctive decorative object. You will receive the exact strand pictured. One of a kind and available only while it lasts.