Half-Stavraton of Manuel II c. 1391 - 1425

Curator: Here we have a Half-Stavraton, a coin, by Manuel II. Its 3.71 grams of metal tell a story of Byzantine currency. What do you make of it? Editor: It feels heavy with history, like holding a small, worn worry stone from another age. Curator: Absolutely, the wear on the coin speaks to its circulation, its life as a facilitator of exchange within a complex economic system. Who handled this? Editor: I'm curious about the hands that held it. Did it buy someone bread? A moment of peace? It connects me to people across time. Curator: It's a tangible link, indeed, revealing the intersection of power, labor, and faith inherent in its design and production. Editor: There's a certain beauty in its simplicity, too. It's not flashy, but honest. Curator: An apt way to describe an object circulating within the economy of the late Byzantine empire. Editor: Yes, and its quiet resilience feels really quite moving, doesn't it?