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Message:: [QUOTE="Only a Poor Old Man, post: 4240446, member: 111037"]No, it is not a Phillip II stater (I wish) but a humble (for some) Byzantine solidus. Ancient gold coins come at a premium, but you can still get a bargain if it is a Byzantine one and if you look hard enough. The following one had the right balance of wear on Christ's face and price. CONSTANTINE VII PORPHYROGENITUS (945-955) - Constantinople (19mm - 4.33 gr) [ATTACH=full]1083106[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1083107[/ATTACH] Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus was an emperor of the Macedonian dynasty from 913 to 959. He barely had the chance to rule alone, and as it can be seen in this coin one of the co-rulers was Romanos Lekapenos (from 920 until 945). Porphyrogenitus is not a surname, but it translates as "the one born in purple" and that refers to the purple room of the imperial palace (decorated with porphyry), where the children of the emperors were born. He was known to be a collector, an art enthusiast, a writer, and a scholar. His books are still available if you look hard enough. On top of that he was a pretty good emperor too, making good decisions and appointing the right people to the right positions. Show off your golds![/QUOTE]