Coin of Justinian I c. 557 - 558

Curator: Here we have a coin of Justinian I. Editor: It looks worn, but powerfully so. I can almost feel the copper in my hands. Curator: The figure on one side is Justinian himself, while the other shows the Greek numeral "M," representing 40 nummi. The imagery tells a story of power and imperial authority. Editor: Consider the labor, though! Each coin represents human effort. We see an object that once facilitated daily exchange, grounding the emperor’s image in everyday life. Curator: Absolutely, and the image itself—Justinian, in stylized regalia—projects a divine right to rule, embedded in the collective psyche. Editor: Ultimately, the value of this coin comes from labor and the control of materials. Curator: True, but for me, the coin becomes a potent symbol of imperial power. Editor: It's a fascinating convergence of the symbolic and the material.