Coin of Magydus under Philip II c. 3th century

Curator: Here we have a "Coin of Magydus under Philip II," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums and weighing in at 14.3 grams. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the patina—the verdigris speaks volumes about its journey through history and culture. Curator: Indeed, the coin's eroded surfaces provide a complex interplay of texture and depth. The design, though worn, retains its structural integrity. Editor: It also prompts us to consider whose labor produced this object, and how Philip II consolidated power through economic systems and symbolic representation. Curator: Yes, the coin's materiality is a visual language in itself. The debasement of coinage, the iconography employed... Editor: All contributing to the narrative of the ruler's impact on daily life. It's a potent symbol, worn smooth by the hands of history. Curator: I find it elegant how the minimal design achieves such a maximal impact. Editor: It's a material testament to the power structures of the era. And to our ongoing engagement with those systems today.