Byzantine Coinage part II Gold
The gold coins.
The gold solidus, inherited from Constantine, saw a long time in circulation.
For VI century, this coin weighs around 4,35-4,40 gr. and has a diameter of 19-21 mm. On one side the emperor is depicted, but his portrait has no accuracy, with no pretense for being a close resemblance. The emperor is usually with a three quarter or fully frontal bust, carrying a spear and usually in armor.
The reverse usually shows a Victory supporting a cross. From the reign of Justin II (565-578), the seated Victory is preferred. From the reign of Maurice Tiberius II (578-582) a Cross in steps is preferred.
The VII century started with a dramatic event, the reign of Phocas. He is the first emperor from that time with a beard. Even when the emperor is young, as Constans II (641-668), they acquire large beards and moustache during their reign.
Also from that time, starting from the reign of Heraclius (610-642), usually the gold coins have the portrait of the emperor with a cross in his hand on one side and his image with his son or sons on the other.
The start of the VIII century saw a modification introduced by Justinian II, who in 692 removed his portrait from the obverse and replaced it with Jesus’ portrait. On the other side, the emperor is depicted holding a cross. But these didn’t last for long. The VIII century saw a great civil war caused by the supporters of the sacred representation of the icons and the supporters of the banishing of the sacred portraits (“iconoclast emperors”).
Once again, the emperor appeared on the coin. This time on one side appeared the emperor’s ancestors usually the father and grandfather and on the other the emperor and his son as heir. This was a political program of legitimacy and also helps dating the coins, by having a clear chaining of this series.
Around 850, again the Jesus portrait was restored, sometimes seated. This became the symbol of the solidus or the nomisma , as it was named in Greek.
Emperor Nichephoros II Phocas (963-968), because of financial problems, introduced a new gold coin, named tetrateron, or quarter, smaller and thicker, in contrast with the full weight coin, named histamenon , who remained large and thinner. Michael IV (1034-1041) made for the first time a reduction of the title, the first since Constantine the Great (308-337). It must be said that before his imperial title, Michael IV was a money exchanger and the sources of that time mention even a counterfeit… In 1071, after the defeat of the empire at Manzikert, the finesse was only 8 k out of 24 and sometimes it was only a gold plated coin.
In 1092, Alexios I Comnenus introduced a new gold coin. It had a finesse of 20 ½ k instead of the traditional 24 and it was named hyperpera that is “super refined by fire”. It was a large (around 26 mm) and thin coin, of concave shape.
Also, Alexios introduced a coin with only 6-7 k fine, named trikephala or hagiogeorgata , after the names of the types, three headers or Saint George. The obverse usually depicts Jesus or the Virgin and the reverse normally a standing emperor accompanied by Jesus, the Virgin or one Saint.
In 1261, the hyperperon was reduced to 15 karats and 12 during the reign of Andronicus II (1282-1328), with the weight being irregular. These meant that the coin was valued after the weight and not the name.
The last gold coin was minted by John V and John VI (1347-1352).
Vasilita Stefan
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Last Update: 26 Jun 2009