Byzantine Semissis

The Byzantine semissis, a gold coin weighing roughly 2.25 grams and valued at half a solidus, served as a key unit in an empire that stretched from Italy to the Middle East.

This made it essential for transactions in bustling markets, from Athens to Antioch, where a single piece could buy a loaf of bread or bribe a guard. Struck primarily in Constantinople using high-purity gold from imperial reserves, its designs evolved over centuries—early ones featured emperors like Anastasius with a cross on the reverse, later ones under the Komnenoi showing more stylized portraits.

We don't know exact mintage figures; records burned in various sieges. What is clear is that forgers tried their hand at copying it, though few succeeded without leaving telltale flaws.

Variations exist, some with irregular flans that suggest hurried production during crises. As for myths, let's skip the nonsense about them bringing good luck—I've seen too many fakes peddled as talismans.

It's just a coin, really, but a sturdy one that outlasted empires.