Coin of Justin II c. 569 - 570

Curator: Here we have a coin attributed to Justin II, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It appears to be quite worn. Editor: Indeed. The piece possesses a weighty solemnity, accentuated by the patinated surface and fragmented edge. Its circular format, or what remains of it, invites the hand. Curator: As a tangible piece of currency once authorized by Justin II, what does its imagery tell us about the emperor’s ambitions and the socio-political messaging of his reign? Look at how the symbolic language of the cross permeates the design. Editor: Notice the cross is almost graphically assertive against the subtly modulated metal surface. It’s a powerful, somewhat austere composition. Curator: It is interesting how material objects, despite their scale, can unlock expansive insights into power, belief, and exchange. Editor: Quite right. There is a strange beauty in such decay.