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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 1322434, member: 19463&quot;]I always wanted one of these.&nbsp; There was a common practice in antiquity of a powerful ruler requiring subservient neighboring kings to send their son to the more powerful court as something between honored guest and hostage.&nbsp; In such a way Bela III of Hungary grew up in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I.&nbsp; Since Manuel had no sons, the plan was for Bela to marry his daughter which would have made him the next Byzantine Emperor.&nbsp; However, a second marriage later provided Manuel with a son and Bela was turned loose to return to become king of Hungary.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Among the things Bela got out of the exposure to Byzantine culture was the idea of cup shaped coins.&nbsp; My new coin is very different from Byzantine in style but the resemblance is obvious.&nbsp; I do find it interesting that Bela was able to make the coins thinner, rounder and more even with no doublestriking even though they both were working in the late 12th century with, I assume, similar technologies.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH]150204.vB[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The convex side shows Mary with legend SANCTA MARIAE.&nbsp; The concave side has Bela and his deceased father Stephen with legend REX BELA REX StS.&nbsp; Some letters are turned oddly.&nbsp; The coins are common and available in several variations mostly to do with how the letters are turned oddly.&nbsp; Many are less clear than this one.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I always found it interesting that this coin is generally considered medieval while many people classify all Byzantines with their ancients.&nbsp; Bela ruled 1172-1196 AD so medieval seems correct.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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