Christian Cup: A Medieval Mystery Boxed Coin Collection

The story: For eleven centuries, the Byzantine Empire was a center of learning, culture, trade, and Christian faith—arguably the brightest light in the Dark Ages. But not everything was illuminated. The Byzantines acquired a well-deserved reputation for secrecy and intrigue. To this day, much about them remains unknown. One enduring mystery involves the origins of the unusual scyphate—the cup-shaped coins known as aspron trachea—produced by its medieval mints.  The Byzantines inherited what remained of the eastern territory of the once-unified Roman Empire, and always referred to themselves as Romans. Initially, their money reflected the classic coin design of Constantine the Great, who established Constantinople—“New Rome”—as the imperial capital in 330 CE. During the reign of Anastasius I (491-518), large numbers of bronze coins began being issued featuring prominent crosses, presumably  intending to increase the public’s confidence in coinage that was devoid of precious metals. Late