History of African Trade Beads  From the 15th to the 20th century, traders carried European and Asian glass beads across the world. The beads were highly desired by Native Americans, as glass was then an unknown substance in North American. European glass beads became popular and sought after by Native Americans. Europeans realized early on that beads were important to Native Americans and corporations such as the Hudson Bay Trading Company developed lucrative bead-trading markets with them. The Hudson Bay Trading Company was an organized group of explorers who operated during the 19th century. They ventured into the North American continent for trade expeditions.

Offered here is one old Venetian millefiori bead from the African trade. Trade beads were decorative glass beads, used between the 15th and 20th Century as a token money to exchange for local African goods such as oil, gold, etc.  The shape is round.  This bead is handmade.  The bead is old and shows age-appropriate patina. This bead is in very good to excellent condition.  I rolled the bead a quarter turn to show all sides of the bead.

Bead Measures 35 mm x 12 mm       Hole Size 3 mm       Bead Weight 11 gram

Questions???  Please ask before purchasing to avoid any misunderstandings.

The coin is for display only, not included - not for sale.

IMPORTANT NOTE. In the world of beads, and especially ancient and antique beads, errors in identification are common. We do our best to research and classify our beads accurately, however mistakes are certainly possible. If you are a bead expert and notice any errors in description, we invite you to please contact us and let us know. We are always grateful for any new information. We also accept returns no questions asked. See our Return Policy for details.