Cowrie cash days in Nigeria

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In Nigeria, Cowry shell is believed to be the most-widely known pre-coinage currency. There are of course two species of Cowry shell that were used as currency, and their acceptability varied from one area of the country to another.
A species of the large type called “Cypraea annulus” was preferred in the West of Niger whereas in the East of Niger the smaller type “Cypraea moneta” was in common use.

Cowrie is known by different names in Nigeria. In Igbo-land, the large Cowry shells are known among the people as “Mbudambu” or “Nwefe” or “Okpokpo” which cost one-third of the small ones known as “Ayola”In Nigeria, Cowry shell is believed to be the most-widely known pre-coinage
 Besides the Igbo people, Cowry shell is also known by different names among people of other ethnic groups of Nigeria: Among the Fulani, it is known as Sedere ; owoeye in Yoruba; Igvo or Bosjes or “Bossies in  Bini.

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