This very interesting coin is not mine. I photographed it at ANA Summer Seminar last year in my Digital Coin Photography course. The coin is hammered Byzantine gold and is very deep (over 1" if I remember correctly). I was not able to get an identification of the coin from the owner. Any help with identification would be appreciated. Why do these coins have such a deep bowled shape? The first photo is the obverse and is inside the "bowl". The second photo is the reverse and is the "bottom" on the outside of the "bowl".
It looks like Michael VII Ducas, but i'm not sure. Hope this website could help. http://www.wegm.com/coins/michaelvii.htm
Why the bowl shape? http://books.google.com/books?id=vZ...=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA14,M1
