Aspron

Aspron (Ancient Greek: ἄσπρον, romanized as aspron, meaning "white") was a term used in the Byzantine Empire, primarily during the later centuries (c. 11th-15th centuries), to describe silver or electrum coins. The term denoted coins of a relatively high purity, or at least, aiming for a whiter appearance than the debased coinage in circulation.

The most notable aspron was the aspron trachy. This coin was a cup-shaped (scyphate) Byzantine coin made initially of electrum (a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver). Later, the aspron trachy was often made of billon (silver alloyed with a base metal), reflecting the declining economic state of the empire.

The distinction between aspron and other Byzantine coinage often hinged on the metal content and perceived value. Devalued coins with lower silver content might be considered something other than true aspron. The term served as a general descriptor for silver or silver-ish coins intended for widespread circulation. The value of an aspron would fluctuate depending on the current economic circumstances and the specific ruling emperor's coinage policies. The ongoing debasement of the aspron trachy contributed significantly to the economic problems within the late Byzantine Empire.