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Which Byzantine coin replaced the Solidus as the empire's standard gold coinage in the late eleventh century?

Question #151785. Asked by pehinhota.
Last updated Oct 17 2024.
Originally posted Oct 14 2024 6:52 AM.

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gtho4 star
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gtho4 star
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Answer has 4 votes.

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Alexius I discontinued the solidus coin in 1092. He replaced it with the hyperpyron.
Under Alexios I, significant monetary reforms were implemented to address the declining quality of the Byzantine currency. In 1092, he discontinued the debased solidus (tetarteron and histamenon) and introduced a higher-quality gold coinage known as the hyperpyron. This new coin had a fineness of approximately .900-.950 and weighed 4.45 grams, though it was slightly smaller than its predecessor. Alongside the hyperpyron, he introduced two additional coins: the electrum aspron trachy, worth one-third of a hyperpyron and consisting of about 25% gold and 75% silver, and the billon aspron trachy (or stamenon), valued at 48 to the hyperpyron with a 7% silver wash. Copper coins, the tetarteron and noummion, were worth 18 and 36 of the billon aspron trachy, respectively.
link https://social.vcoins.com/twih/death-of-alexios-i-komnenos-august-15-1118-r443/


Oct 15 2024, 1:07 AM
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sportsherald star
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sportsherald star
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As someone with an interest in heraldry, I'd like to provide a side note that the word used there to describe a golden or yellow dot (disc) is the bezant, derived from Byzantine gold coins.
The most ancient of all of the Heraldic symbols dating to the time of the crusades is the 'bezant' or gold coin. The term Bezant is of Eastern origin being derived from the name Byzantium, the gold roundel representing a Byzantine coin.
link https://heraldictimes.wordpress.com/2010/12/02/heraldry-and-the-crusades-part-7/, also link https://drawshield.net/reference/parker/b/bezant.html

Oct 17 2024, 1:14 AM
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