Follis of Maurice, Constantinople 

This coin, known as a Follis, was made in Constantinople during the reign of Maurice Tiberius. It’s a humble object, made of bronze, but it speaks volumes about power, labor, and the material realities of a bygone era. The coin was likely produced through a process of casting or striking, involving skilled metalworkers who meticulously crafted the dies used to imprint the designs. The image of Maurice Tiberius on one side and the ‘M’ mark on the other, weren’t just symbols of authority but also markers of value, connecting the coin to wider systems of trade and economic exchange. Consider the sheer quantity of these coins that were produced, each one passing through countless hands, facilitating transactions both grand and small. Ultimately, the Follis of Maurice serves as a potent reminder of the ways in which even the most mundane objects can carry profound social and cultural significance, challenging our assumptions about art and value.