Bronze Radiate Fraction of Constantius Chlorus 305 - 306

Editor: This is a bronze coin called "Bronze Radiate Fraction of Constantius Chlorus" from the Harvard Art Museums. It must be incredibly old, given the artist was Constantius I Chlorus. It feels weighty somehow, despite its small size. What's your read on this piece? Curator: Well, it’s a portal, isn't it? A portal to a time when emperors stamped their faces on pocket change. Look closely at the wear, the imperfections. Each scratch is a tiny story, a whisper from a marketplace long gone. Does it make you wonder who held it last, and what they spent it on? Editor: Definitely! I hadn't thought about the hands it passed through. Curator: It's like holding history itself. The patina tells a story of burial and rediscovery. Perhaps it’s less about the emperor's ego and more about the enduring nature of small things. Editor: That's a lovely perspective. It makes me appreciate the coin so much more.