Coin of Justinian I c. 538 - 543

Editor: Here we have a Coin of Justinian I from the Harvard Art Museums. It's small, tarnished, a humble little thing really. It makes me wonder about all the hands it's passed through. What stories do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, the stories it could tell! For me, it's a portal. Look closely at Justinian’s portrait – can you almost feel the weight of his empire? It's amazing that such a tiny object could represent such power. And the wear and tear, the oxidation…it's like a whispered echo of time itself. Editor: So, it's not just currency; it's a relic. I hadn't thought of it that way. Curator: Exactly! It shrinks history down, fits it in your palm. It makes the past tangible, doesn’t it? Editor: It really does. I'll never look at old coins the same way again. Curator: Me neither. Art, you know, always finds ways to surprise.