Did you put a meter on it and see what ohms it is ?

LTG : )

In the utility industry, there are fuses filled with sand called "current limiting fuses". When there is a fault, the current through the fuse will heat up the surrounding sand and melt it into glass, turning it into an insulator. It is a very fast acting fuse. However, I've never seen them like the one in the picture.

Is it a re-import from Saudi Arabia?

Sounds right about the current limiting part, but never seen this in a pin....

Well it's better than a blown fuse wrapped in aluminum foil.

or a wire wrapped around a fuse..sheesh.

or... a leg bolt in the fuse holder...

If the fuse is no good, it can be replaced by a normal one. You will need to figure out what made it blow first though.

Sand filled fuse are common where equipment is subject to vibration and movement, such as musical amplifiers and test equipment. They can be used in place of any glass fuse without problem, but they may have a shorter life. Just replace it with the normal glass fuse at the correct rating.