Byzantine Stamenon

One of the few electrum coins struck by the Byzantines outside Constantinople, this Stamenon from southern Italy mixed gold and silver in ratios that likely reflected local ore supplies.

That blend made it practical for trade in a region where pure gold was scarce. Minted in places like Bari under emperors from Basil II to Alexios I, the coin typically showed the ruler's bust on one side and a cross on the other. We know these designs evolved over the century, growing cruder as Byzantine power waned against Norman incursions.

Exact mintage figures? Lost to time, probably burned in some medieval archive fire. If you're picturing a pristine specimen, think again; most survivors are worn from circulation.

Collectors sometimes claim these coins cursed the empire's decline. Nonsense. They were just currency in a turbulent era.