Coin of Justinian I c. 552 - 553

Editor: Here we have a Coin of Justinian I. The metal, now patinated green, shows wear from handling. I’m curious about the life of an object like this. What can we learn from its materiality? Curator: Absolutely. The very substance speaks. Its weight – 4.19 grams – reflects its value, its copper alloy composition reveals trade networks. Consider the labor: from mining the ore, refining the metal, striking the coin – all human effort crystallized in this small object. Editor: That’s fascinating! So, it’s not just an image of power, but a document of production? Curator: Precisely. It's a tangible connection to the Byzantine economy, the daily exchanges and social structures of its time. This coin is a testament to the material conditions that underpinned Justinian's reign. Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way before. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It’s a potent reminder that even seemingly simple objects hold complex histories within their very being.