Kissi Iron Penny Currency, Based

A needle-thin rod rising from a little black plinth, topped with a crumpled bloom.

This penny currency on a base is Kissi, from Sierra Leone, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is iron. Mounting a long, slender rod on a base lets it stand upright so its twist and shape can be seen clearly. A long, slender dark rod with a twisted, hand-forged surface stands upright on a small rectangular stand. The top ends in a small irregular flat leaf shape. The metal looks brown-grey and slightly rough. It is 2 inches wide, 2 deep and 15 high.

All that height, and the stand barely breaks a sweat.