Zimbos and Libongos

The Currency in the General Captancy of the Kingdom of Angola (1570-1648)

Abstract

Since the 16th century, when the Portuguese established control of the slave trade from the West Central African port of São Paulo de Luanda, the use of local currencies, such as the zimbo, have characterized the monetary zone of this dimension of the Portuguese Colonial Empire. The Portuguese appropriated pre-existing monetary practices and sought to maintain exchanges based on this currency-merchandise based on small shells found mainly on the coast near Luanda. After the short Dutch rule and from the restoration of 1648, the
replacement of this local currency by the libongo cloths could not sustain itself for long, since this new fiat currency lost its value and was the subject of great contestation by residents and local interests. In 1694, the libongos would be replaced by copper coin.