Coin of the Chalkidian League, Olynthos 

Editor: Here we have a "Coin of the Chalkidian League, Olynthos," made by the Chalkidian League. It's small, metallic, and feels so ancient. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: The wear on the coin is fascinating. It speaks volumes about its use – the labor of its production, the hands it passed through, and the economic system it supported. Consider the materiality: what does the coin's composition tell us about available resources and trade networks? Editor: So it's not just about the image stamped on the coin, but the coin itself as an object? Curator: Precisely. The material and its degradation are records of the society that created and circulated it. Editor: That's a really interesting way to consider art and history. Curator: Indeed, it pushes us to think beyond aesthetics and consider the tangible realities of the past.