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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;2manybooks, post: 10068598, member: 8267&quot;]In Africa copper, brass, and iron have all been used as wealth in a variety of formats. One of the more standardized forms, made in Europe and England to be used as currency in trade with West Africa, was a type referred to as the &quot;manilla&quot;. But these, too, were not entirely consistent in composition or shape. Most appear to have been open rings, some big enough to be worn as bracelets. Others were too small to be worn, and were transported tied together in bundles. Most were made of copper, brass, or some other related alloy; fewer were made of iron.</p><p><br /></p><p>The most common forms were open rings with flaring ends (the ends sometimes described as &quot;lozenge shaped&quot;) -</p><p>[ATTACH=full]505472[/ATTACH]</p><p>This diagram illustrates the shapes and cross sections of types of manilla still in use in Nigeria in the mid 20th century -</p><p>[ATTACH=full]505475[/ATTACH]</p><p>(reproduced in <i>Red Gold of Africa</i>, by Eugenia Herbert)</p><p><br /></p><p>Your ring appears to be made of some type of bar stock (square/rectangular in cross section). I have seen one somewhat similar bracelet listed on ebay described as a &quot;stacking manilla&quot;, but have not found that term used in any other reference.</p><p><a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/363162697810" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/363162697810" rel="nofollow">https://www.ebay.com/itm/363162697810</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Can you tell if it is iron (magnetic)? I cannot tell from your photos if could be worn as a bracelet or not. Is the gap open enough, or is it large or flexible enough to fit on a wrist?</p><p><br /></p><p>My feeling is that, like most jewelry, it would hold some value and might be used in trade. But I am not sure it is a standardized enough form that it would be considered &quot;currency&quot;.</p><p><br /></p><p>My personal opinion is that the term manilla, which is of uncertain Spanish/Portuguese origin (but at least a European language), should be reserved for those rings made in Europe for the West African trade, to distinguish them from African-made mediums of exchange.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manilla_(money)" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manilla_(money)" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manilla_(money)</a>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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