The hyperpyron (also: hyperperon) was the standard gold coin of the Byzantine Empire. It had been introduced in 1092, in the course of a coinage reform. It was cup-shaped, as was typical for Byzantine coins. With debasement, it had become thicker and smaller in the course of time; but the cup-shape had been kept. Our coin bears Jesus Christ on its obverse, while the reverse shows the Virgin Maria with Emperor John III Ducas Vatatzes (1222-1254).