Half-Stavraton of Manuel II c. 1391 - 1425

Curator: Here we have a half-stavraton, a coin minted by Manuel II, now residing in the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small piece, just over three grams. Editor: It's… haunting. Two pale faces staring out from the depths of time. And there's something so raw about the craftsmanship. You can feel the hand that struck it. Curator: The stavraton was part of Manuel's effort to stabilize Byzantium’s currency. It reflects the complex economic and political pressures on the empire. Each side tells a story of imperial power and religious iconography. Editor: I see desperation, almost a plea, in those engraved features. It’s as if the artist poured the weight of the world into each strike. Like a prayer cast in silver. Curator: Indeed. Coins like these are not merely currency; they're artifacts reflecting the anxieties of a declining empire. Editor: So, a coin isn't just money but a tiny, portable monument to a fading dream. It makes you think about what we leave behind.