Brass weights (pl. abrammuo) were used by the Akan peoples of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to weigh gold dust. Cast from brass using the lost-wax technique, there are two main categories of gold-weight design. Figurative designs were based on plants, animals, objects, and people, while geometric designs include squares, rectangles, and pyramids. Figurative weights often illustrate local proverbs and stories, many of which are still a celebrated part of Ghanaian culture today.   

Gold dust was one of the principal currencies in West Africa until the late 19th century when the British colonial government imposed the British pound as the main currency. No longer used in currency production, brass weights became popular collectables, and significant numbers of them were acquired by Europeans, including military agents, government personnel, traders, and visitors to the region.