Newfoundland, Two Dollars, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 2) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

Curator: This eye-catching image comes to us from 1889. It is titled "Newfoundland, Two Dollars," and is from the series "Coins of All Nations" created for Duke brand cigarettes. Editor: It's wonderfully weird. The juxtaposition of this caricatured figure, like a folksy explorer holding what looks like a lantern, with an actual Newfoundland two-dollar coin is unexpected. There's a quirky, playful feeling, despite the sort of worn look. Curator: The entire series speaks volumes about how tobacco companies used visual culture to brand themselves, creating associations with wealth, travel, and… otherness. The exaggeration of facial features, for example, was a common trope when portraying people from different lands. Editor: I agree; seeing it as part of a larger series changes the meaning. It speaks directly to commodity culture and exoticization. Note the "Value $1.95c"—a direct tie-in, transforming human image and monetary worth into a sellable experience for mass consumption. I wonder about the actual methods involved in its printing: the paper quality, color processing. Curator: Precisely. And the choice of the lantern, glowing faintly, may carry the implication of guiding lost souls in Newfoundland or perhaps it speaks of prospectors during a gold rush—all connected to wealth. Its cultural baggage becomes pretty heavy, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. And it also reveals class divides. Tobacco was cheap, available to anyone, even working class, but now suddenly one gets glimpses of "far away" and gets reminded about things one does not have in one’s possession! Curator: It becomes apparent that the creators employed the imagery from the numismatic universe as symbolic signifiers. One could almost see this specific piece as an echo of imperial power dynamics filtered through popular entertainment. Editor: Right, we shouldn't forget this was meant to be a piece of marketing, crafted with intentionality to sway perspective in line with commercial aims. Makes you see it differently when you're considering things in economic and labour terms. Curator: When you delve into these historical currents—the layers of meaning in this artwork is striking. Editor: Definitely gives one more to ponder about everyday objects, doesn't it?