Primitive Money
Lot 5806 Session 17 (11.30am Fri 26 Nov) Primitive Money
Estimate $120
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $150
KATANGA, Katanga cross, issue of the Katanga tribe in Africa, also known as Baluba cross, 12.5 cms across, (Opitz [p.124], Quiggin [p.77], Sigler [p.17]). Very fine.
Ex Bramwell C. Jellett Collection. Made by pouring copper into moulds made in sand. The Katanga cross is a scarce and unusual piece of primitive money. It is large, normally about 12-18 cms across. It was used in parts of what is now Zaire up to the early 20th century. One would buy about 22 pounds of flour or five or six chickens. Two would buy a gun or a female slave for five to ten crosses. A male slave in 1907 was worth three to five crosses.
Estimate / sale price does not include buyer's premium (currently 22% including GST) which is added to hammer price. All bids are executed on the understanding that the Terms & Conditions of sale have been read and accepted. For information on grading and estimates please refer to the Buying at Auction advice.
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