Semissis of Maurice Tiberius, Constantinople c. 583s - 593s

This Semissis coin was made in Constantinople, what is now Istanbul, during the reign of Maurice Tiberius using some kind of die to stamp the image on the face of the gold. There's something really beautiful about the way the images are so worn and smooth, isn’t there? I think that really speaks to me about process. Look at how the surface has been rubbed away with use. It reminds me of how an image accrues meaning over time, as it changes, grows, and warps. I find myself drawn to the areas where the gold seems almost polished, reflecting light in unexpected ways, particularly around the face. It's as if the coin retains a memory of all the hands that have held it, all the transactions it has facilitated, all the stories it could tell. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What was this coin used for? What kind of life did it have? I almost feel like I am looking at a small abstract painting rather than currency. Like a Cy Twombly or something! This coin reminds us that art is never truly finished; it's always in conversation with the world around it.