Coin of Justinian I c. 6th century

Curator: Oh, this little coin is whispering stories of empires long gone! Editor: It looks quite worn, doesn't it? A tangible object handled by countless people. Curator: This is a Coin of Justinian I. It's incredible to think that Justinian himself might have even held something just like this. Editor: What I find fascinating is how its material existence reflects economic and social power. The silver itself speaks volumes. Curator: Silver, yes! And look at the imagery – the emperor's profile almost dissolving into the metal itself. There's a certain melancholy to that, don't you think? Editor: More than melancholy, I see a concentration of power. The means to mint it, the image it bears, all tied to control. Curator: Perhaps, but there's also the journey of this coin – the hands it's passed through, the pockets it’s jingled in – a miniature epic of human connection. Editor: Absolutely. It’s the circulation that makes it powerful, not just the source. Curator: Well, I'm content knowing that we can still find beauty and history in even the humblest of objects. Editor: Indeed. An object lesson in materiality and influence.