Katanga Cross - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 9 / Views: 2,341
Medieval Pillar of the Community 3772 Posts	Posted 10/08/2014 08:57 am Everyone who has seen the short-lived coinage of Katanga has seen on the coins an image looking like: The image shows a real Katanga Cross - the weight is just short of 1kg and the diameter is ~25cm. They were produced for centuries in Katanga and the northern Rhodesia region (ie today's Zambia and Zimbabwe). The exchange value of these crosses (which are considered primitive money) was roughly: - ten kilos of flour - five/six fowls - two length of good cloth - three/four kilos of rubber or - six axes Two of those would buy a gun. Report this Post to the Staff

fioti Pillar of the Community United States 4212 Posts	Posted 10/08/2014 11:11 am Thanks, learned sumpin' today. I would have thought they'd have actual $$ for guns. Report this Post to the Staff
austrokiwi Pillar of the Community 2087 Posts	Posted 10/09/2014 07:09 am Quote: I would have thought they'd have actual $$ for guns. They did have "$$" for guns the dollars were called Katangas Report this Post to the Staff
Medieval Pillar of the Community 3772 Posts	Posted 10/09/2014 07:29 am Quote: the dollars were called Katangas No - the local name for those crosses was "lunkana" Report this Post to the Staff
John1 Moderator United States 56855 Posts	Posted 10/09/2014 08:54 am Looks like they came in different shapes and sizes also. John1 Report this Post to the Staff
Medieval Pillar of the Community 3772 Posts	Posted 10/09/2014 4:56 pm The principle shape was the same and the size/weight didn't vary that much. So the question is what do you consider 'different' between issues of primitive money. One shouldn't forget that the people who produced them scratched a rough shape into the ground and poured the copper into it. Report this Post to the Staff
John1 Moderator United States 56855 Posts	Posted 10/09/2014 5:00 pm Check e-Bay,there are a few on there. John1 Report this Post to the Staff
AJL Valued Member Israel 84 Posts	Posted 10/18/2014 08:46 am Thanks for sharing. Interesting. Just picked one up for my collection. Report this Post to the Staff
stud722 Pillar of the Community United States 1088 Posts	Posted 10/18/2014 3:48 pm Thanks for the history! Report this Post to the Staff
paul27613 Valued Member United States 152 Posts	Posted 10/19/2014 11:35 pm If any readers ever get to any coin show where a dealer has primitive money for sale, stop there!! Most dealers in primitive money have fascinating stories and you are absolutely guaranteed to learn something. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 9 / Views: 2,341

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