[BA]X [+] LCL, crowned and robed bust right, holding cruciform sceptre / +HT[HXWPL TOVOTL W, Greek cross with gold gilt, the arms of the cross merge with inner circle. 16mm, 0.91 grams. Munro-Hay Type 76; BMC Aksum 320.

"BAXACA" on obverse is a corruption of the Greek title ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ (Basileus), meaning “King” or “Emperor.” The center of the cross on the reverse has bits of gold gilt on it - an interesting feature unique to the Axumite coinage.

Kingdom of Aksum was a powerful ancient African kingdom centered in present-day northern Ethiopia and Eritrea that flourished from roughly the 1st to the 8th century AD. Strategically located along Red Sea trade routes, Aksum became wealthy through commerce with the Roman Empire, Arabia, Persia, and India, exporting goods such as ivory, gold, incense, and slaves. The kingdom is famous for its monumental stone stelae, advanced architecture, and its own distinctive coinage - the first minted south of the Sahara. Under kings such as Ezana, Aksum adopted Christianity in the 4th century, becoming one of the earliest Christian states in the world. At its height, Aksum controlled parts of Arabia and dominated trade in the Red Sea region, but it gradually declined after the 7th century due to changing trade patterns, environmental pressures, and the rise of Islamic powers controlling nearby sea routes.