Coin collecting can be a lucrative and informative pastime. Ancient coins are especially appealing to avid collectors because ancient coins have both historical and monetary value. The Byzantine Empire is known for the quality of its coins. No ancient coin collection is complete without at least one Byzantine coin.
In order to understand why these coins are still so highly valued, one must understand the differences between gold, silver, and bronze coins minted during the Byzantine era.
Gold Coins
Gold has long been considered the most valuable of the precious metals. It stands to reason that coins struck on gold would have the most value, and this is certainly true of Byzantine coins.
What sets gold Byzantine coins apart from other ancient gold coins is the precision with which these coins were made. The Byzantines were extremely careful and precise when it came to the creation of gold coins, ensuring that each coin was the same weight and size. Their production methods were so uniform and reliable that the Byzantine gold coin became the standard for all gold coins minted throughout the region.
You will often see a gold Byzantine coin labeled as a solidus. This name is a nod to the solid construction and value of each gold coin. Many of the solidus coins minted by the Byzantines depict images of religious figures, like the Virgin Mary or Jesus Christ. Displaying religious images on gold coins was another way of letting people know that these were the most valuable.
Silver Coins
Silver coins were also circulated throughout the Byzantine Empire. Although the quality of silver Byzantine coins isn't talked about as much as the quality of their gold counterparts, the Byzantines were dedicated to preserving the quality and uniformity of their silver coins as well. Commonly known as stavrata, silver coins were traded across all of Europe and Asia prior to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453.
What makes silver Byzantine coins unique is the variation of value within these coins. Some silver coins were thin, while others were thick. The differences in thickness denoted differences in value, making it easy to expand on the Byzantine monetary system without sourcing new metals.
Modern collectors can typically find affordable silver stavrata at coin shops, coin shows, or specialty coin auctions.
Bronze Coins
Bronze coins were of nominal value within the Byzantine monetary system. As a result of their low value, these coins were not struck with the same attention to detail and consistency that was used when minting gold and silver coins.
Despite the apparent lack of quality, bronze Byzantine coins are among the most sought-after varieties by ancient coin collectors. This is due to the fact that so few bronze coins remain in existence today. The minimal value of the bronze coin during the Byzantine era resulted in fewer people stockpiling these coins. Many were eventually melted down and transformed into other products, making the few bronze coins that survived into modern times extremely rare.
The images struck on bronze coins were often blurred or off-center, making it difficult to decipher their subject matter. Scholars suspect that most featured images of the current emperor, either alone or accompanied by his wife.
Gold, silver, and bronze coins each held a unique place within the Byzantine monetary system. Modern coin collectors have the opportunity to own an ancient artifact that passed through the hands of multiple people when investing in Byzantine coins. Knowing the difference between gold, silver, and bronze coins allows you to better source the ancient coins that will complement your collection without breaking the bank.
Reach out to local coin sellers to learn more about Byzantine coins.
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