Money in Africa
Project leader: Catherine
Eagleton
Department: Coins and Medals
Project start: April
2006
End date:
2012-13
Other British Museum staff:
Amelia Dowler, Artemis Manolopoulou, Elizabeth Galvin
Description:
By combining numismatics, economics,
international relations and anthropology, this project will explore
the history and politics of Africa through the story of its money.
From ancient trans-Saharan salt routes to modern-day
hyperinflation, the project will show how money has
influenced and changed the continent’s rich history.
The project was conceived as drawing the
different aspects of the subject into a coherent whole, and
involving both original research, and a bringing together
existing and current work to tell the story of Africa. By using
money as a lens to understand the greater history, we are able to
view how the concepts of money and commodity have shaped the
continent, as well as better understand the issues facing Africa
today.
Images (from top):
- Steel 20 cedis coin showing a cowrie shell. African money shown
on a European-style coin. Ghana, West Africa, AD 1991
Supported by