This is an extremely rare museum specimen of a African slave manilla. Only a handful of these 'hoard' manillas exist in private collections and very little is known about them. The ornamentation and rich patina of this exhibit are breath taking. It is heavy, large and its authenticity is unquestionable.
This copper manilla measures c. 115 mm x 95 mm x 44 mm at its widest points. Its weight is c. 1,293 gramms. Some scientists believe that manillas of this kind were used as bride money or for hoarding. B. Brosamer-Weber who prepared volume II part 2 of SAMMLUNG KÖHLER-OSBAHR published by Kultur- und Stadhistorisches Museum Duisburg wrote:
"For many of us fancy African manillas as the primitive money at all. But up to now it is not yet proven that manillas existed at all before the Portuguese reached the African coast line. At least the word "manilla" is of Portuguese origin - probably formed by the merger of "mao" (hand) and "anilho" (ring). It is unknown, too, why the Africans wanted this form and why they did not want the more simple copper bars. One idea is that fishermen found in their nets copper deformed that way originating from sunken Portuguese ships (The Portuguese explorated the African West coast since 1416). The Africans believed the copper to be of value and told the Portuguese that more of this stuff was needed. Shortly after the Portuguese noted this African need they exported amounts of copper among which were many manillas. Since the 15th cenry manillas became a commodity currency - spreading from the kingdom of Benin all over West Africa."
"The value or purchasing power of manillas changed. The value was not only determined by weight and fineness but by the African taste, too, something Europeans had excessive problems to understand. At about 1500 a slave could be bought for 12 to 15 manillas. In Benin the value deteriorated so much that in the 18th century no manillas could be sold there."
"It is neither known of which form and of which design the manillas imported from Europe were nor is it possible to assort manillas produced in Africa to tribes or regions. The proof of the last is nearly impossible because there was an eager trade and manillas were often recast. There is no way, either, to assort manillas by the very many signs, ornaments, engravings, punch marks etc."
