Coin of Ptolemy V Epiphanes, Alexandria c. 204

Curator: This is a coin of Ptolemy V Epiphanes, created in Alexandria. It is part of the Harvard Art Museums collection and weighs 17.71 grams. Editor: It feels weighty, doesn’t it? A little circle holding so much history. Like staring into a tiny, ancient mirror. Curator: Absolutely. Coins like this were crucial for establishing Ptolemaic rule, acting as propaganda tools that circulated images of power and legitimacy. Editor: Propaganda in your pocket! But also, think of the hands it passed through, the stories it could tell... if coins could talk, eh? Curator: Indeed! The imagery would have reinforced the king's authority. It reminds us how even the smallest objects carried significant political weight. Editor: It’s funny how something so small can open up such vast landscapes of thought.