5 Nummi - Anastasius I Dicorus Constantinopolis

Anastasius I's currency reform of 498 AD is one of the most consequential monetary interventions in Byzantine history. The previous late Roman bronze coinage had collapsed into tiny, nearly worthless pieces with no marked denominations — merchants were essentially counting coins by weight. Anastasius reintroduced a rational fiduciary bronze system with clearly marked values, of which this 5 nummi piece is the smallest practical unit. The reform is credited to Anastasius personally, a former palace official who brought an administrator's instinct to the throne.

Constantinople mint production of this type was supervised under the newly reorganized imperial mint bureaucracy that the reform itself necessitated.