Coin of Alexandria under Constantius I Chlorus c. 296 - 297

Curator: So, here we have a fascinating artifact—a coin minted in Alexandria during the reign of Constantius I Chlorus. Editor: The coin's weathered surface speaks volumes; you can almost feel the passage of centuries in its rough texture. What was this coin worth, materially? Curator: Its 8.06 grams would have been a fraction of a larger denomination, most likely used for daily commerce. But its value extends beyond mere purchasing power, though. Editor: Exactly, consider the labor involved—the mining, the smelting, the artisan's careful strike. Each stage a testament to value creation within a brutal imperial machine. Curator: Yes, and as an object touched by so many hands, it reminds me how fragile even empires are, reduced to fragments that yet retain so much story. Editor: Ultimately, it’s humbling, isn't it? A small coin, yet its material reality embodies economic systems and social hierarchies that echo across millennia.