My feature Primitive Money for Saturday April 21 is the West African Gizzi Penny. (1880's until the late 1930's)

Gizzi Pennies (also known as Kissi Pennies) were smelted and hand-forged by native blacksmiths of the kizzi (Gizzi), Bande, Kpelle and Loma tribes of West Africa (present day Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia). Long strands of iron were twisted together and the ends hammered into a "T" shape at one end, and a rounded blade at the other. Generally considered to be a degraded form of hoe Gizzi Pennies typically measured from 8 to 18 inches long.

Gizzi Pennies were used interchangeably with British and French coins for every day transactions from the 1880's until the late 1930's and are still used today for ceremonial purposes.

Gizzi Pennies were believed to have souls, as well as magical powers. If one was broken it would have to be taken to a shaman who could repair the Gizzi and restore it's soul. You can tell a "reincarnated" Gizzi penny by the slight bulge of solder where the penny has been rejoined.

I purchased my Gizzi Penny over fifty years ago at a local coin show. It measures 12.75 inches long and has a weight of 20 grams. My specimen is undamaged and has never been "reincarnated".

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