Anonymous Follis c. 1050 - 1060

Curator: Isn't it humbling to look at something like this Anonymous Follis, a humble coin from a time long ago, sitting here in the Harvard Art Museums? Editor: It feels ancient, almost spectral. Look at the worn details, the ghost of an image hinting at power and belief. Curator: On one side, you can just make out the figure of Christ, while the other is inscribed with what remains of a royal declaration. The coin as a form of propaganda, but also a medium of exchange that connected people. Editor: Absolutely. Coins like this circulated through complex economic and political systems. Who controlled the mint? How did it impact trade and power structures? Each coin tells a silent story about social hierarchy and economic control. Curator: It's easy to forget that this little piece of metal has been in so many pockets, traded for food or services, maybe even lost and found again centuries later. Editor: It’s a tangible link to a past, a reminder of the material conditions of life. Curator: It makes me wonder about all those untold journeys and transactions. Editor: And the inequalities that were baked into the system. We can only imagine the layers of untold stories this coin carries.