Coin of Constans II c. 651 - 652

Curator: Looking at this small, rather unassuming artifact, we have a coin attributed to Constans II. Editor: My first thought? It looks like a well-worn chocolate chunk, weathered by time. Curator: Indeed, its materiality speaks of history, its worn surface hinting at a journey through countless hands and transactions. This coin offers a tangible link to the Byzantine Empire. Editor: It’s amazing to think that this little lump could have paid for someone's daily bread, or maybe even influenced a political deal. Curator: Precisely! Currency was, and is, a tool of power. In examining the iconography, we can interpret the messages that Constans II wanted to circulate about his reign. Editor: And it's a reminder that even the smallest objects can hold immense stories. This tiny coin takes me back through centuries. Curator: Right, it encourages us to reflect on the economic and social structures of a bygone era and how they reflect the present. Editor: I'll never look at pocket change the same way again! Curator: I find myself thinking about the systems of value we create today and the stories they'll tell in centuries to come.