One-Eighth Stavraton of Manuel II c. 1391 - 1425

Editor: This is One-Eighth Stavraton of Manuel II. It's a coin. I'm struck by how worn it looks. What can we learn from its materiality? Curator: The coin's degradation speaks volumes about the circulation of wealth and power. Think of the hands it passed through, the transactions it facilitated. Its composition reveals economic constraints on the Byzantine Empire. Editor: Economic constraints? Curator: Precisely. Debasement of coinage often reflects financial instability. Was the metal content reduced over time? This object embodies a complex history of production, use, and value. Editor: It's fascinating to think about the story embedded in the material itself. Curator: Indeed, beyond the image, the coin's very substance holds a record of its socio-economic context.