An interesting lot from CNG arrived this week. It is a one Libra weight from the late Roman or early Byzantine Empire. I have collected weights less time than coins, and have less background information on the subject. I noticed one source called the A to the left of the cross L I in ligature. Early Roman Republican coins often use that form of A. I have not seen the A called L I before, but it makes sense to me. The gamma shown in the bottom picture is really O U in ligature for the Greek work for ounce. Post your early Roman coins with different forms of A. Romano - Byzantine One Pound Commercial Weight, 4th-6th centuries. Æ Obv - Cross flanked by ÎA (some say Î is LI in ligature = one Roman pound or Libra); all within wreath Rev - Blank. Cf. Bendall 51. VF, green-brown surfaces, a few scrapes. 323.8 grams, or close to a Roman Pound (As or Libra) of 327 grams. 56 X 56 mm Note, several similar weights are in the British Museum and are listed in pondera here: https://pondera.uclouvain.be/search...eria=&collection_criteria=14&biblio_criteria= Comparing this weight to a few others in my collection: The early As from the wheel series is not that close to one Roman pound at 204 grams. Both are heavy to hold, but the coin is noticeably lighter. This group shows a barrel weight of 328 grams from a time period I can not guess. That shape was used for centuries. I date the bottom middle and right weights to 300 AD plus or minus a century or two. Both are near to 327 grams. This group shows 3, 2 and 1 ounce weights. The cast coin in the upper right is a one uncia and weighs 12 grams, or less than half a Roman ounce (27 grams).
This new weight is fantastic, really quite a beautiful piece. The appeal of such items can't get much more evident than it is with your new acquisition.
That weird form of alpha is very common in Byzantine coins: look at the mintplace beneath the "M" on the reverse: A coin weight: A weird denomination, called 12-nummi, are often/always minted in Alexandria which also have the "I-B":
