Billon (alloy)

Not to be confused with bullion or billion.
Billon dirham of Abbad II al-Mu'tadid, dated 439 AH (1047–1048 AD)

Billon (/ˈbɪlən/) is an alloy of a precious metal (most commonly silver, but also gold) with a majority base metal content (such as copper). It is used chiefly for making coins, medals, and token coins.

The word comes from the French bille, which means 'log'.[1]

  1. ^ "Billon". Dictionary.com (Unabridged (v 1.1) ed.). Random House, Inc. Retrieved 25 September 2009.