Lot 7888

Collection of 9 copper, bronze and brass manillas (total weight approx. 1910 g.), 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. Manillas became such an important medium of exchange that they were also produced in Europe. A particular type of bronze manilla in this collection with ‘trumpet’-shape ends, has been produced in Birmingham. An atractive collection manillas, all of different type, decoration, weight and size