coin of Philip I 

Editor: Here we have a coin of Philip I, also known as Philip the Arab. It's small, silver, and well-worn. The materiality speaks to a long history of use and exchange. What strikes you about this coin? Curator: I'm drawn to how this coin collapses the distinction between art and commodity. It represents both artistic skill and economic value, revealing a society's priorities through its material culture. What does its physical condition suggest about its social life? Editor: The wear suggests it was handled a lot, passed from person to person. It's amazing to think about the transactions it facilitated. Curator: Exactly. Each touch, each exchange, leaves its mark on the material, contributing to its story. It's a testament to the power of everyday objects to embody history. Editor: That’s fascinating, I never thought about it in that way before.