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1 Tremissis
| Issuer | Uncertain Germanic tribes |
|---|---|
| Year | 641-685 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed imperial bust facing right, rendered in the late antique Byzantine style. The effigy is encircled by a partially legible or garbled Latin legend, reflecting the Germanic imitator's imperfect copying of Byzantine prototypes. The portrait retains the general stylistic conventions of contemporary Byzantine tremisses struck under Constans II, though executed with notably less precision. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Germanic tremisses of this period are among the most contested attributions in early medieval numismatics. Several tribes — Franks, Visigoths, Lombards, and smaller successor polities — were all producing lightweight gold tremisses in imitation of Byzantine prototypes during the seventh century, often with degraded inscriptions that obscure any firm attribution. The DOC comparative reference suggests a tentative Byzantine connection in type, but the issuing authority remains genuinely unresolved.
Gold fineness in these imitative issues dropped noticeably across the mid-seventh century as tribal treasuries struggled to maintain Byzantine weight and purity standards.