Byzantine Trachy

The most intriguing fact about the Byzantine trachy from Italy is that it was often struck on concave flans, a design quirk that likely helped these coins stack neatly in pouches during long Mediterranean trades. This scyphate shape, common in the 12th century, reflected Byzantine ingenuity amid resource shortages.

Billon composition varied, typically blending silver with copper or other metals, depending on what local mints in places like Bari or Otranto could scrounge up. We know these coins circulated under emperors like Alexius I, but exact designs shifted with political winds. Mintage figures? Lost to time, probably in some archive fire or conquest.

One theory holds that recycled metals from older Roman coins went into these, though that's unproven. As for myths, I've heard enough about "cursed" specimens to last a lifetime—let's stick to the metal.

Some specimens show wear from heavy use, hinting at their role in everyday exchanges. That's all.