Pseudo-gold weights (31) - Ghana

A rare and culturally fascinating collection of 31 antique West African pseudo-gold weights with a combined total weight of 195 grams. This substantial lot provides tangible evidence of the dynamic, global trading contacts along the former Gold Coast from the 16th to the 19th century. Within Akan and Ashanti culture in present-day Ghana, it was common not only to use locally cast brass figures for weighing gold dust, but also to include compact metal objects of foreign origin in the ceremonial weighing bag. Anything with the right weight or that could be adjusted to local weight standards was adopted by the trader and transformed into functional gold weights.

The ensemble displays an impressive diversity of origins that have seamlessly been integrated into the African gold trade. Central to the collection are some authentic, locally produced geometric Akan gold weights, including the characteristic flat round discs with refined spiral and wheel motifs and cast handles. In contrast, there is a rich selection of European imported items that were appropriated by indigenous traders, including the deep, bowl-shaped housing of a so-called closure- or arrow-weight and a series of solid, disc- and cone-shaped apothecaries weights. Additionally, the lot contains several small, figurative bronze figurines of Southeast Asian origin that reached the West African market via trans-Saharan trade routes.

All 31 objects in this lot are made from historic copper alloys such as bronze and brass. What makes this ensemble especially remarkable is the homogeneous, deep, lived-in patina visible across the different pieces. The dark greenish-brown oxidation and the mild wear on the support rings and edges attest to long, intensive, and communal use within the same trader bag. This aligns with a dating to the heyday of the Ashanti gold trade, spanning from around the 19th century or earlier to the end of the 19th century, when the use of gold dust was definitively restricted by colonial authorities. This lot represents significant museum and numismatic value as a complete, historically grown ensemble of tribal exchange media.