Coin Weight
Unknown Artist
11th century
Medium
Glass; stamped
Dimensions
H. 1/8 in. (0.3 cm) Diam. 11/16 in. (1.7 cm) Wt. 0.05 oz. (1.4 g)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Joseph W. Drexel, 1889
Accession Number
89.2.230
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate coin weight, crafted in the 11th century from stamped glass, exemplifies the precision of Islamic metrology during a golden era of trade and scholarship. Measuring just 11/16 inches in diameter and weighing a mere 0.05 ounces, it was designed to verify the exact mass of gold or silver coins, ensuring fair commerce across vast empires from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. The use of glass—a readily available, durable medium in the Islamic world—highlights innovative techniques: artisans likely molded or cut the pieces before stamping them with official marks, symbols of authorit...