Coin of Constans II c. 641

Curator: Here we have a bronze coin, a "Coin of Constans II," currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. It weighs just under 10 grams. Editor: My first impression is that it feels weighty, not physically perhaps, but emotionally. Like it holds secrets, buried stories... the green patina hints at age and forgotten empires. Curator: Absolutely. These coins served not only as currency but as a form of imperial propaganda. Imagine the messages they carried, intended for wide circulation. Editor: I think of hands that touched this, the transactions, the hopes, and fears attached to something so small, yet representing so much power. It's like holding a fragment of collective memory. Curator: Precisely! The distribution of such coins reinforced the emperor’s image and authority across vast territories. A tangible symbol of control, wouldn't you say? Editor: Control but also connection. These coins linked people, even if indirectly, in a shared economic and visual language. It's a humbling reminder of how interwoven we are, even across centuries. Curator: Indeed. The survival of this coin is a testament to history's long reach, reminding us of the echoes of power and the enduring nature of human connection. Editor: It makes me want to create something that lasts—something that embodies the textures and spirit of this moment.