Coin of Maurice Tiberius c. 590 - 591

This coin of Maurice Tiberius, wherever and whenever it was made, feels like a collaboration between the maker and the elements. The images appear to be emerging through the metal's surface, as if by chance. Imagine the maker carefully tooling the metal, only to let time and decay take over, blurring and softening the crisp lines of the original engraving. Looking at the lettering on the coin, I can imagine the artist carefully cutting into the metal to make those marks, to communicate power and value. All artists are in conversation across time, experimenting with materials and leaving their mark. This coin, weathered and worn, is a reminder of the power of collaboration—between artist, material, and time.