antique african ndoro currency coin

NUMBERED PORCELAIN NDORO CURRENCY

ON PERSPEX BASE

REF # : 10615

NDORO SIZE : 4,5CM X 4CM X 0,5CM

BASE SIZE : 5,5CM X 5,5CM X 2CM

TOTAL HEIGHT : 10CM

CONDITION : GOOD 

SCUFFING TO PERSPEX BASE - AS PER IMAGES

PURCHASED HARARE, 1997

The Ndoro is intricately tied to Zimbabwean lore and is claimed to be fashioned from a shell used by the Ancient Africans as a form of currency or spirals of copper wire used for trading. It was used for trade when Great Zimbabwe was the biggest trade center in Southern Africa.  The number of Ndoro that you wore was an indication of your status in society and your wealth. The shape and form was originally created by painstakingly grinding down conus shell (rare in the interior of Africa) to a flat round shape. 

The Portuguese later introduced numbered porcelain Ndoro's as currency. Several were recovered from Great Zimbabwe.