Bidspirit auction | Palestine – Charity Token, Beirut

Palestine – Charity Token, Beirut – 1904 (5664) – Very Rare - Brass charity token issued in Beirut, Lebanon, dated 5664 (1904). Obverse: Inscription “Charity for the Poor – Bikur Cholim 5664”. Reverse: Inscription “Beirut”, with a serrated edge. Such charity tokens were typically produced by Jewish charitable institutions throughout the Ottoman Empire for controlled internal use within hospitals, soup kitchens, and synagogues — ensuring that donations were distributed properly and used for their intended purposes. This example from Beirut is a rare witness to the activities of the “Bikur Cholim” charitable organization, which served the local Jewish community in the early 20th century. The Hebrew inscriptions alongside the city name “Beirut” highlight the strong presence and organization of Jewish life in the Levant, reflecting close cultural and economic ties with the Jewish settlement in Palestine. One of the very few known Middle Eastern Jewish tokens of the period — a remarkable survivor and a significant testament to the region’s Jewish charitable heritage.