Denarius of Faustina I 141 - 146

Curator: This tiny silver coin, a Denarius of Faustina I, really makes you think about value, doesn't it? Editor: It does. Its worn surface suggests extensive circulation, and I immediately think about the labor involved in its production. Curator: Absolutely. The portrait of Faustina is meant to project power, but the coin itself served a very different purpose. It was a common currency. Editor: Yet, the portrait is still a message, isn't it? Its small scale betrays the vastness of the Empire it represents. It’s a material object meant to convey intangible authority. Curator: Indeed. Faustina's image, replicated across countless coins, aimed to cement her legacy and the Emperor's authority. Symbols carry such weight. Editor: And the labor that put this into everyone's hand. From mining to minting, this coin is a container for so much more than its silver content. Curator: A potent little object, a lasting imprint. Editor: A humble yet impactful artifact of its time.