Coin of Justin II c. 576 - 577

Curator: This object is a coin, attributed to Justin II, and part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It looks incredibly worn, almost ghostly, the details softened by time. What is its weight? Curator: It weighs 13.21 grams. The imagery, despite the wear, retains its symbolic power. Note how the faces are stylized, almost iconic, and the reverse features a bold "M." Editor: The coin’s iconography reflects the emperor’s power; coins were instruments of imperial messaging, weren’t they? Curator: Precisely. The material itself—the base metal, the stamped imagery—spoke to a very specific social and political order. Editor: It’s fascinating how such a small object offers such a deep reflection of its time. Curator: Yes, and the coin’s very degradation speaks volumes about the rise and fall of power structures.