The “saadeeyeh,” commonly called “kheyreeyeh bi-arba’′ah” (i.e. “the kheyreeyeh of four”), or the “small kheyreeyeh,” is a small gold coin, of the value of four piasters, or nine pence and three-fifths.
The “kheyreeyeh” properly so called, or “kheyreeyeh bi-tis’ah” (i.e. “kheyreeyeh of nine”), is a gold coin of the value of nine piasters, or twenty-one pence and three-fifths.
The above are the only Egyptian coins.
The coins of Constantinople are current in Egypt; but scarce.
European and American dollars are also current in Egypt: most of them are equivalent to twenty Egyptian piasters: the Spanish pillared dollar, to twenty-one. The name of “riyál faránsa” is given to every kind; but the pillared dollar is called “aboo midfa’” (or, “having a cannon”); the pillars being mistaken for cannons. The others have also distinguishing names. The Spanish doubloon (called in Arabic “debloon”), the value of which is sixteen dollars, is likewise current in this country: so also are the Venetian sequin (called “benduk′ee,” for “bunduk′ee”), and the English sovereign (which is called “ginyeh,” for guinea).
The “riyál” of Egypt is a nominal money, the value of ninety faddahs, or five pence and two-fifths. In, or about, the year of the Flight 1185 (A.D. 1771-2), the Spanish dollar passed for ninety faddahs, by order of ’Alee Béy. The dollar was then simply called “riyál;” and from that period, the above-mentioned number of faddahs has continued to be called by this name.
The “kees,” or purse, is the sum of five hundred piasters, or five pounds sterling.
The “khazneh,” or treasury, is a thousand purses, or five thousand pounds sterling.