TYPE Byzantine Empire, Theofilos (829-842 AD), gold solidus, Syracuse mint, 3.39g DESCRIPTION . Obv: Facing bust of Theofilos, wearing crown and loros, with cross potent, Greek legend ThEOFILOS Rev: Facing bust of Theofilos, wearing chlamys, with cross potent, Greek legend ThEOFILOS (image double resolution) REFERENCE: SB 1670, DO 24-5 GRADING: VF / AVF ORDER INFO: B1877, $220 Theofilos introduced a couple of new features in Byzantine numismatic practices - subtle but important in this often monotonous and rather slowly changing series - including this odd design with his effigy on both sides of the coin. Somewhat puzzling here is the low weight, which doesn't appear to be due to any serious clipping; in fact, the fabric (small, medium thick) is more reminiscent of the published contemporaneous imitations (cf. DO 25), but here the legends are not blundered (on one side even the F is properly oriented) and the style isn't quite the same.