Millieme Coin: 1/1000 Currency of Libya and Egypt

Illustrated Specimen Details: 10 Milliemes (Libya)

Example Specimen: 10 milliemes, 1965 (Kingdom of Libya)

Authority: Idris I (El Sayyid Prince Muhammad Idris bin Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussi) — the only King of Libya, who reigned from 1951 to 1969. His portrait and symbols represent the era of the Libyan monarchy before the 1969 revolution.

Design & Symbols: The date on the coin is AH 1385 (Islamic calendar), which corresponds to 1965 in the Gregorian calendar. The legend مليمات ١٠ - TEN MILLIEMES indicates the denomination in both Arabic and English. The obverse features the crowned Libyan coat of arms and the state name in Arabic: المملكة الليبية (Kingdom of Libya). The date ١٣٨٥ - ١٩٦٥ is placed below in both the Hejira and Christian eras.

Pay attention: in numismatic terminology there are separate coin names: millieme (Libya and Egypt) and millim (Sudan and Tunisia). Although some sources combine these names into one.

1. KINGDOM OF LIBYA (from 1952 to 1965): 1000 millieme = 1 pound; 10 millieme = 1 piastre
2. EGYPT (from 1917 to present): 1000 millieme = 1 pound; 10 millieme = 1 piastre

MILLIEME as a coin name: The name of the coin millieme comes from the French word "millième" (thousandth part). Like the closely related millim and mil, it represents a thousandth of the basic currency of the state (1 per 1,000 pound).

History, Value, and Etymology of the Millieme

The millième was a fractional monetary unit equal to one thousandth of a base currency unit, used in several countries influenced by French and Ottoman monetary traditions. Unlike the more common 1 per 100 system, the millieme formed part of a 1 per 1,000 structure, allowing for finer subdivisions of value, especially in systems based on the pound or dinar.

A Hybrid Monetary Structure

The adoption of the millieme reflects a hybrid system combining Ottoman monetary traditions (with units like the piastre) and European decimalization. This resulted in a unique three-tier structure (1 per 10, 1 per 100, 1 per 1,000) rather than a simple cent-based model. For example, in the Kingdom of Libya, 1 millieme equaled 1 per 1,000 of a pound and also 1 per 10 of a piastre.

Evolution and Design

It was widely used in North Africa and the Middle East during the 19th and 20th centuries. Coins denominated in millièmes were typically struck in base metals: copper or bronze for the smallest values (1, 2, and 5 milliemes) and nickel or aluminum-bronze for higher fractional pieces. These coins played an important role when purchasing power was higher, and small denominations were essential for daily trade in local markets.

Designs varied by country but frequently featured Arabic inscriptions alongside European languages (French or English), national emblems, and clear denomination markings.

Economic Role and Decline

Over time, inflation reduced the practical use of such small units. The smallest millieme denominations gradually disappeared from circulation or became purely accounting units. As purchasing power shifted during the 20th century, these granular divisions became impractical for everyday transactions and were eventually withdrawn or ceased to be minted.

Numismatic Significance

From a numismatic perspective, millieme coinage is diverse and regionally segmented. The Egyptian series, spanning from the Sultanate under British protection to the modern Republic, is especially well-documented. For collectors, these coins represent a fascinating intermediate stage between traditional multi-tiered systems and simplified modern decimal currencies, preserving a level of precision rarely seen in modern finance.