Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Carinus (as Caesar) c. 281 - 282

Curator: Here we have a tetradrachm, minted in Alexandria under Carinus when he was Caesar. Editor: Wow, it looks like something Poseidon might pull from his pocket after a swim—aged and beautiful. Curator: Exactly, the coin's patina tells a story of trade routes, political power, and cultural exchange. Carinus’s image, though worn, represents Roman authority, and the coin served as a crucial tool for economic stability within the Empire. Editor: Thinking about its weight, about 7 grams, it makes you wonder what hands it passed through, what stories it could tell from marketplaces to hidden treasures. It feels like holding a piece of ancient gossip. Curator: That’s it exactly: numismatic objects are historical actors, with symbolic power influencing and reflecting their own time. Editor: It makes me think, what will our money look like a thousand years from now and what stories will it tell?