Coin of Magnentius (?), Trier (?) c. 350 - 353

Curator: Here we have a rather unassuming object, a coin possibly of Magnentius, likely minted in Trier. Its history is somewhat uncertain, but its presence speaks volumes. Editor: It feels heavy, doesn't it? Not just in weight, but in the weight of history. All those hands it passed through, all the stories it could tell… Curator: Exactly! The figure on the reverse—a soldier, perhaps? Or a symbolic representation of military strength? It evokes power and control. Editor: I see it as a reminder of the impermanence of power. The wear and tear, the faded image… empires rise and fall, but the coins remain, bearing witness. Curator: I love how you connect that to the tactile reality of the object. We are both looking at the same object, and seeing something different. Editor: It’s a shared language, isn't it? This coin, these symbols, they whisper secrets across the ages. Curator: Agreed. Objects like this ground us in the past. Editor: A tangible link to a world that both is and isn't us.