Ivory Coast - Slavery Abolition

Two Hundred Year Commemorative of the Abolition of Slavery on the western coast of Africa by the British. Design is that of Wedgewood. The kneeling slave motif was used by anti-slavery movements in Great Britain and the U.S.A. Great Britain abolished the use of slavery for all the members of the West African States in the Year of our Lord, 1807. A special commemorative 2 Pounds coin was struck in 2007 to honor the fruition of that historic event.
Also, in 2007, those seven states authorized the minting (a mere 850 each) of 27mm silver (0.25 oz. ASW) Essai coins to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of that monumental event.The coins feature the heroes of the Abolition of Slavery movement on one side and the issuing nations' coats of arms on the other. Included is Olaudah Equiano (also known as Gustavus Vassa) on the Benin coin. William Wilburforce is on the Burkina Faso coin. The seal of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade is on the Ivory Coast coin. Frederick Douglas is pictured on the Mali coin. Senegal pictures Francois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture. Togo honors French abolitionist Victor Schoelcher. Because the members of the West African States utilize a common currency, they have issued few coins under their own name.
This Essai issue of 2007 is a welcome reminder of the extraordinary efforts required to end this horrible enslavement of man.
Please see the complete set here in the Museum in their associated countries. This is the famous "Kneeling Slave" figure that was originally designed for the China maker in Great Britain - Wedgwood. It was used by Abolition groups in the UK on tokens issued in the late 18th C. as part of the Conder group of penny and half penny tokens. You can see an example in the Museum under Great Britain > Tokens [ link ] This male figure was accompanied by the words "Am I Not A Man and A Brother." This theme was about to be used by Abolition movements in the USA but only THREE are known. Issued instead (USA) were the female figure in a similar pose and similar legend "Am I Not A Woman And a Sister." [ link ]