Aspron Trachy - Manuel I Komnen Konstantynopol

Manuel I's reign spanned nearly four decades of aggressive western policy — military campaigns in Italy, interventions in the Crusader states, and a catastrophic defeat at Myriokephalon in 1176 that effectively ended Byzantine ambitions to reclaim Anatolia from the Seljuks. The aspron trachy was the workhorse denomination financing this activity, struck in vast quantities throughout his reign.

Billon trachea from this period show considerable alloy variation; the silver content was quietly debased across Manuel's reign, a fiscal response to chronic military expenditure. Individual pieces can range from near-silver appearance to heavily copper-dominated flans.