First minted in 1663, the ‘Guinea’, took its name from the West Coast of Africa, from which most of the gold was imported. For a period after the formation of the Royal African Company in 1672, the Guinea coin featured the company’s elephant and castle logo (seen here beneath the King’s head).
© Museum of London
Accession reference: Museum of London, NN18213
Themes
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Africa before Transatlantic Enslavement
The history of Africa and African people does not begin nor end with transatlantic slavery. Understand what Africa was like and what the continent lost as a result of the trade.
Background Reading
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The Lost Libraries Of Timbuktu
Until recently, many commentators on Africa claimed that African societies had no tradition of writing. With the rediscovery of ancient manuscript collections, some dating back to the 8th century AD, this perception is changing.
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Introduction To Various African Kingdoms