by Fred Fuld III
The Kissi Penny, which is often described as a type of odd & curious money or traditional money, was an iron currency made in Sierra Leone and used by the people of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Republic of Guinea since 1880 and continued to be in use to the 1980s.
The kissi pennies are shaped like a long thin rod with a T at one end and a blade at the other end. Native blacksmiths would make them from iron that was found from ore in the area.
They usually ranged from about six inches long to around 30 inches long, and were often used in bundles of twenty.
In terms of value, a cow would cost 100 bundles, a bride would cost 200 bundles, and slaves would sell for 300 bundles.