Ghana/Togo/Sierra Leone, Sokpé Quartz Disc Money

Money made of stone was used in various parts of the world. The most famous – and most impressive – are the money-stones of the Micronesian island of Yap, which are found in weights from 1.76 ounces (50 grams) to 3 tons! Stone money was widespread in many parts of Africa. In pre-colonial times, people in Togo and parts of Ghana used flat, rounded discs of quartz with a diameter of about 3 to 10 centimeters (1.2 to 3.9 inches) and a hole in the middle as money. This stone money was called sokpé (thunder stones) because African legends had it that they fell from the sky during thunderstorms.