Rare Byzantine gold coin discovered in Norwegian mountains

A rare Byzantine gold coin, known as a histamenon nomisma, was discovered in the mountains of Vestre Slidre, Norway, nearly two thousand miles from its origin. Minted between 977 and 1025 AD in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the coin is in excellent condition. It features Jesus holding a Bible on one side and Byzantine emperors Basil II and Constantine VII on the other, with inscriptions in Latin and Greek. The coin may have been brought to Norway by King Harald III, who served as a guard for Byzantine emperors around 1034 and could have looted it after an emperor's death. Archaeologists are studying the site, with further excavations planned for 2024.