Byzantine Scyphate

About Byzantine Scyphate

Also called trachy, these cup shaped coins are unique to Byzantium. The reason for the cup shape is debated. Some scholars suggest it was for easier stacking, others for strength. Gold scyphates were called hyperpyra. The thin gold coins curved easily in production. The scyphate form was used from the 11th to 14th centuries. The cup shape makes them distinctive and collectible. Quality declined dramatically over the centuries as gold purity dropped.