Pentanummium of Justin I, Nicomedia 518 - 527

Curator: We're looking at a Pentanummium of Justin I, minted in Nicomedia. Its humble 1.55 grams belie its power. Editor: It feels cold to the touch just looking at it. Like the weight of history condensed into a tiny, metallic disc. Curator: Indeed. Consider the socio-economic implications of its production: the mining, the metallurgy, the minting process itself. This speaks volumes about the Roman economy. Editor: I see a face worn almost smooth by time, a faint symbol on the back that whispers of empire. Makes me wonder about the hands it passed through, the stories it could tell. Curator: Precisely! Each coin represents labor, trade, and political control—tangible links to the economic infrastructure. Editor: It's strange how something so small can feel so… weighty. Both literally and figuratively.