Byzantine Semissis

The Byzantine Semissis from Italy was essentially half a solidus, a gold coin that facilitated trade in regions like Ravenna and Rome during the empire's grip on the peninsula. This smaller denomination meant it changed hands more often than its heftier counterpart, circulating among merchants, soldiers, and officials in a world of fragile alliances.

Weighing about 2.25 grams, these coins typically bore the emperor's profile on one side and a cross or victory symbol on the other. Variations depended on the mint, though records are spotty; we know some were struck in the late 6th century under Justin II, but exact outputs vanished with time. Italian issues might have incorporated older Roman gold, a thrifty nod to the past.

As for myths, I've heard tales of these coins funding epic battles, but that's likely exaggeration. They were just currency, worn smooth by use. No one knows how many survive today—perhaps a few hundred in collections—but that's the charm of numismatics: the unknowns keep it real.