AR Elagabalus 

Editor: Here we have a coin, an AR Elagabalus, by Elagabalus. The coin's wear is really striking, how time and handling have eroded its surfaces. What can you tell us about this coin? Curator: The coin's value isn't purely aesthetic, but historical and material. Silver production, minting techniques, the coin's circulation – these reveal Roman economic and social systems. Who controlled the silver mines? Who labored to produce these coins, and how might have the coin reflected the ruler's power? Editor: That's a completely different way to approach the coin! I was only thinking about the portrait itself. Curator: The portrait served a purpose, certainly, but the material and its journey are just as important. Reflect on the labor and resources embedded in this small object. Editor: I'll certainly look at coins—and all art—differently from now on.