Coin Weight

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Coin Weight

Place of OriginEgypt

Date7th-11th century

DimensionsDiam: 7/8 in. (2.2 cm)

Mediumglass

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.2350

Not on View

DescriptionTranslucent clear glass with Cufic inscription impressed in the center.

Label TextThis clear glass coin weight helped regulate commerce in medieval Egypt during the Fatimid Caliphate. Created during the reign of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (996–1021), it bears a Cufic inscription recording the ruler’s name and the object’s weight. Such weights were essential tools in market transactions, allowing officials and merchants to verify the mass of precious metal coins. Beyond their practical use, these small glass discs symbolized the caliph’s authority over economic life. Their translucent clarity and precise inscriptions reflect the skilled craftsmanship of Fatimid Egypt.