Dumb Byzantine Cup Coin Question

[Mike B]

Still being an extreme novice, I am not really sure about the Cup Coin.  I have several coins that are cup shaped, and a few I was told are cup coins, but the majority of them are Roman Emporers like Maximinian.  Are these actually cup coins, or simply Old Roman Coins that warped?  Are the Cup coins overlapped with the Roman coinage?  Thanks all, and yes I know its a dumb quesiton and really time I bought some books on the subject!!!
 

[Simon]

Cup coins are late Byzantine coins, their should be no overlap in the earlier Roman Rulers. The cup coins first start appearing around 1031 AD, growing more common in the years to follow.  

[solidus]

As Simon said, cup-shaped, or syphate coins are a late Byzantine style, done very much on purpose. Why some of your late Roman coins appear cup shaped is curious - coins do not "warp" as far as I know, but they can be damaged in all sorts of ways.

[sage]

I've got a Crispus that's the same shape, and I was wondering too. This one fits nicely over the shape of my thumb, as if when the coin was still pliable someone bent it over, perhaps just by holding it on the tip of their thumb. But surely who ever made the coin couldn't have held it without burning their finger off?  .....it doesn't fit my thumb the same if it's placed 'the wrong way'.


      Is there are way that a coin could warp in this way?

     Good question Mikey!

[Hunchback]

Personally I don't think of Byz coins as crude at all, with the obvious exception of Cherson mint bronzes.  Indeed, the gold and silver coins are often beautiful and, in the case of early Constans II solidii, remarkably face detailed.  They are just different than their roman predecessors.  Byz coins from different mints are often stylized and recognizable by specialists.  I particularly love the Syracuse mint products (ever see Const IV solidii?).   The cup shaped coins (scyphate) begin in the 11th century and last almost to the end.  Many theories abound as to why and how these were made.  Nobody knows for sure.  To be sure the coins grew simpler in design (cruder?) as the empire neared its end.  They also grew much fewer in number.

Hunchback

[Robert_Brenchley]

I don't think you have to look very far for the reason why there were fewer minted; the empire was shrinking!