Kissi Iron Penny Currency

Flared at one end and tapering to a lumpy knob at the other, this slim bar sits quietly.

This iron penny currency is Kissi, from Sierra Leone, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. The Kissi penny is a thin iron rod with a flattened end and a twisted body, and it was forged by blacksmiths who held an important place in the community. Long, slender bar with a broad flat flare at the left end, narrowing into a thin shaft with faint twist marks. The right end is a rough, mushroom-like button, and the surface is dull brown and dry. It is 3.5 inches wide and 18 high.

A graceful taper ending in a distinctly blunt thumb.