Coin of Seleukos I of Syria, Seleukeia c. 312

Curator: Here we have a bronze coin from Seleukos I of Syria, minted in Seleukeia. Editor: It looks like it has been at the bottom of the sea for a thousand years. I love that green patina! Curator: The color is interesting when considering value; the coin's material substance belies its symbolic function within economic and political systems. Editor: True! It is tiny but speaks volumes. To think of all the hands it has passed through, all the things it bought... it's a vessel of history. Curator: Its semiotic value as a representation of power is undeniable, regardless of its size or current state of preservation. Editor: It's incredible that something so small can carry so much weight. I am truly moved by the idea of this little piece of metal outlasting empires.