Coin Weight
Unknown Artist
13th–14th century
Medium
Glass; stamped
Dimensions
H. 3/16 in. (0.5 cm) Diam. 13/16 in. (2.1 cm) Wt. 0.1 oz. (2.8 g)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Joseph W. Drexel, 1889
Accession Number
89.2.231
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass coin weight, dating to the 13th–14th century, hails from the Islamic world and exemplifies the precision of medieval trade practices. Measuring just 13/16 inch in diameter and weighing a mere 0.1 ounce, it was designed to verify the weight of gold or silver coins, ensuring fair exchange in bustling markets from Cairo to Baghdad. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art collection—gifted by Joseph W. Drexel 1889—it reflects a time when Islamic empires like the Mamluks standardized weights and measures to support vast commercial networks along the Silk Road and In...