Item number: A257
Year: AD 1071-1078
Material: Electrum (Gold with Silver)
Size: 27.1 x 27.0 x 0.7 mm
Weight: 4.35 g
Manufactured by: Constantinople mint
Provenance: Coincraft 2018
This is a Histamenon nomisma coin minted during the reign of Emperor Michael VII between AD 1071 and AD 1078. During Michael VII’s rule, the gold content of the currency steadily decreased. Unlike in the past when coins were made of pure gold, they were now crafted using electrum, a mixture of gold and silver.
The coin has a cup-shaped appearance, with a Christ half-length bust on the convex side. Christ is depicted with a long beard, gesturing with his right hand in a prayer gesture while holding a Gospel book in his left hand. Behind Christ is a halo representing divinity, with five dots adorning each arm of the cross. The Greek letters “IC XC” on either side of Christ represent “Jesus Christ.” Above the letters is a horizontal bar, symbolising the halo of divinity.
On the concave side, at the centre, is Emperor Michael VII dressed in the new style court robe developed by the Byzantine Empire in the Middle Ages, called the “Loros,” a narrow robe adorned with embroidered grid patterns. He wears a crown decorated with crosses and pendants known as “Pendilia.” In his right hand, the emperor holds a Roman military standard transformed into the “labarum,” a Christianised symbol, while his left hand supports a globe with a cross. The Greek inscription around the periphery reads “MIXAHΛ RACIΛO Δ,” meaning “Michael Ducas Emperor,” denoting the emperor’s name and title.
In the mid-10th century, there was a transformation in the Byzantine solidus coin system, transitioning into two denominations: the “Histamenon” in Greek, representing the “standard,” and the “Tetarteron,” which weighed only one-fourth of the solidus. Concurrently, the Byzantine Empire began minting coins in a concave shape, referred to by numismatists as “Scyphate” (cup-shaped) coins due to their appearance.
The craftsmanship required to produce cup-shaped coins was highly intricate, making it difficult for outsiders to replicate, perhaps serving as a motivation for minting them. The process involved placing a metal blank between the concave and convex dies on a coining press, initially striking the central portrait on both sides. Subsequently, the dies for the emperor’s name and title around the periphery were applied. Due to the curvature of the coining press, the images and inscriptions on the coins might suffer from irregularities or blurriness caused by uneven pressure.
In AD 1067, following the death of his father, Constantine X, Michael VII’s mother was compelled to marry the general Romanos under the threat of the army, who soon proclaimed himself as Romanos IV. However, in AD 1071, Romanos IV was captured by the Seljuk Turks in the Battle of Manzikert, and the throne returned to the hands of Michael VII.
During Michael VII’s reign, the Byzantine Empire faced severe economic crises and internal rebellions. In AD 1078, Michael VII was overthrown by his own generals and subsequently exiled to a monastery, where he remained until his death.
