Coin of Kanishka I 130 - 158

Editor: Here we have a coin from Kanishka I. Looking at the texture and wear, it’s clearly been circulated. What do you see in its production and use? Curator: Its copper materiality speaks to trade networks and resource availability, right? How was value assigned to this object, and what labor was involved in its creation and circulation? Editor: So it's not just about the imagery, but about the social and economic systems it represents? Curator: Precisely. The coin reveals much about power, production, and consumption of Kanishka’s empire. Consider where the metal originated. Editor: That gives me a new appreciation for something I might have dismissed as just an old coin. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, considering the raw materiality transforms our understanding.