Anonymous Follis c. 1042 - 1050

Editor: Here we have an Anonymous Follis, a coin of sorts. I'm struck by how worn it looks, which makes me wonder, what can you tell us about the circumstances of its production and distribution? Curator: The wear is critical. Each imperfection tells a story of its economic life, the hands it passed through, the distances it traveled. The material, likely bronze, speaks to the resources available and the value placed on coinage at that time. Editor: So, it's not just a pretty face? Curator: Precisely! The coin's creation wasn't purely aesthetic; it was about facilitating exchange and representing power. Think of the labor involved in mining, smelting, and minting. Editor: Fascinating. I’ll never look at a coin the same way again. Curator: Me neither; these objects connect us to the physical realities of the past.